Straw Saga
by Katarina-hime
Summary: Sasuke is an asshole lawyer. Hinata is a sweet, kindergarten teacher. It couldn't possibly work out, right? Especially after mistaking her for his waitress and being his rude, bastard self. But maybe, she's just what he needs. Whatever she is, he's keeping the straw. SasuHina
1. Not Halloween Anymore But It Totally Was

Straw Saga 1

Not Halloween Anymore

Sasuke Uchiha was annoyed. It was Halloween and if that wasn't enough to annoy him in and of itself, Naruto was running late. Sometimes Naruto's mere presence was enough to ruin his morning, but Naruto forcing him to make plans and running late for said plans was definitely doing it.

Those two things together...

Sasuke brushed the black glitter and pumpkin confetti off the epoxy tabletop and looked for the waitress. He had ordered drinks already, coffee for himself and orange juice for his idiot friend, but the waitress had yet to bring a straw. Not that he would usually care, who needed a straw for black coffee? But his mood was already as black as his soul and sitting in this dump of a diner at this end of the city on Halloween, he felt a calm rage boiling at the surface.

Where was that stupid waitress?

From brushing the dirty table top off of the offending decorations, he could see black legs out of the corner of his eyes, walking too close to his table.

Sasuke put his hand up, signaling the waitress to stop. "For the love of God," he seethed, noticing that there was glitter now on his hands. "The straw." Because Sasuke hated asking for things, let alone a second time.

There was no apologies from the waitress, no half-hearted 'Ohmigod, I'm sooooo sorry, I totally forgot!', nothing of the sort.

"Um, okay."

Sasuke thought her voice sounded different than he remembered when she giggled, high pitched and stupid about the drink order. But she walked away before Sasuke could look up and scrutinize her.

There was still black glitter on his hands, but no amount of rubbing with the stupid napkin was doing anything to rectify the situation. He threw it down, crumpled up and decided to just drown himself in coffee.

Where the fuck was Naruto?

"Hey! Sorry for the wait. Can I take your order?" A shrill voice almost made him choke on his hot drink.

He looked over at his brunette waitress, ignoring her clear, ridiculous infatuation, realizing it was not the person he had demanded the straw from. It was the waitress who had seated him, took the drink orders and brought out the coffee and juice (sans straw). She was wearing black pants, as all the waitresses were, but he realized, all too late, they were not the black pants of the women who he demanded the straw from.

He swallowed down the coffee, tasting more bitter then normal.

"Here you go."

Good thing he already swallowed.

A short women, young and fresh faced, wearing tight black leggings, a baggy, black turtleneck sweater with thick, long black hair and straight bangs. Her eyes were wide, pale and she had a little triangle painted on her nose with three thin whisker marks painted on each rosy cheeks. She was also wearing cat ears on a headband.

She was holding out a straw to him.

Vaguely he heard the waitress. "Ohmigod, I can't believe I forgot your straw, I'm soooo sorry."

If Sasuke was a lesser man, he would've blushed. Or 'uhhhh'ed or said something stupid in reply. But Sasuke was not a lesser man.

"You don't work here." It wasn't a question.

The girl gave him a tiny smile. "No." She agreed.

"What are you doing?" The waitress asked her, clearly annoyed that Sasuke's attention had traveled elsewhere.

Sasuke was surprised to notice that the girl gave the waitress a bigger smile than what she gave him.

"Just helping." She said simply. "Need anything else? Napkin perhap?." She was smiling playfully.

Sasuke glance at his crumpled napkin.

The waitress sputtered. "I can get him a napkin!" She snapped, sprinting off to mark her territory with the paper product.

The girl let out a little laugh. "Well, okay, have a nice day."

Sasuke watched her walk away, silent as usual, realizing a couple of things.

First thing, she had a nice ass. Her leggings where tight and hugged the curve of her backside in a way that Sasuke would keep in his memory for later on, perhaps in the shower. It was too hard to see what was under her turtleneck sweater, but her ass would do.

Second was that, she didn't seem to be smitten with him and at the risk of seeming self absorbed, (which he was) most women were. Any other girl would've been gushing all over him, trying to get his name, number, a date, anything. She had smiled at him, but it was smaller than the smile the bitch of a waitress got. She had even teased him, lightly. And then walked off.

Again, her ass though...

Third.

Third was that he realized he was an asshole.

"Hey bastard, sorry I'm late - what's wrong with you?" Naruto slid into the booth and Sasuke vaguely noticed that Naruto had whiskers painted on his face as well.

Just like that girl.

Sasuke let out a small huff. "I'm an asshole."

Naruto laughed. "Yeah, believe me, I know dude. Hey, why are you holding my straw?"

Naruto reached over to grab it but Sasuke snatched it back and shoved it in the pocket of his black, wool pea coat.

"Definitely an asshole." Naruto huffed.

The waitress arrived, slapping a napkin down in front of Sasuke.

"Ready to order?" She asked.

"We need a minute." Naruto said, picking up his menu. "And can I please get a straw?" He asked.

She looked confused, between the two like she was about to say something but just nodded, walking off.

"What the fuck are you supposed to be?" Sasuke snapped.

"A fucking fox, bro." Naruto grinned, gesturing to his orange shirt and orange ears.

Sasuke grunted.

"What the fuck are you?" Naruto countered. "An asshole?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Something like that."

Naruto laughed and launched into his story about why he was late but Sasuke wasn't listening. He didn't care, obviously, but he also couldn't stop thinking about the girl that wasn't the waitress. The Kitten. Usually, he wouldn't think twice about someone else's feelings. He had been far ruder to countless other people this week alone. But Kitten had confused him.

She didn't seem too upset by it. But she also didn't seem to be infatuated with him. Almost always he would get one reaction or the other. But all he received was playful indifference.

"So ready for the club tonight?" Naruto kicked him under the table to get his attention back.

He stared back with a blank face.

"Come on, don't give me that, bastard. It's Halloween and a Saturday. Those bitches are gonna look fiiiine."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Here's your straw!" The waitress arrived back at the table. "Ready to order?"

Naruto nodded and started but Sasuke stood up.

"I'll be right back."

"Wha-?"

Sasuke didn't wait to explain and walked back to the direction Kitten and her ass had gone. He wasn't a hundred percent certain on what he was doing but he didn't like the feelings that he had been sitting with.

He found her almost immediately, since she was standing up. She was pulling on a massive, navy blue winter coat that had to be a size or two too big, holding a thick, knitted lavender scarf in her hands.

The girl across from her, a tall, brunette with two buns, wearing a oriental style dress with winged eyeliner, possibly to make her eyes look smaller. Sasuke ignored the possible cultural appropriation, because he didn't really give a shit about cultural appropriation and also because he saw Kitten's ass again.

She was flipping her long hair out of her jacket when she saw him. He liked long hair.

"Oh hi, need something else?" She smiled.

"What?" Her friend asked.

"He needed a straw when I was coming back from the bathroom." She explained with a giggle.

She hadn't even told her friend what a dick he had been to her? What kind a saint was she?

"Yeah, about that." Sasuke started slowly. The next part was horrible for him. "Sorry." He ground out.

Double Buns raised an eyebrow.

She seemed to ignore his pain and waved him off, indifferent. "No worries."

"I'll make it up to you." It wasn't a question or an offer.

Double buns looked taken aback.

Too foreword?

"It's really fine." She insisted.

She didn't jump at the opportunity? What. The. Fuck.

Her friend grabbed the sleeve of her baggy jacket. "Come on Hina." She tugged her along.

That's when Sasuke realized he couldn't exactly call her Kitten out loud.

"Sasuke Uchiha." He held out his hand.

She smiled. "Hinata -"

"Shh." Double Buns hissed, dragging her along. "He's probably one of those hottie sexual predators."

...what?

"Can I get your number?" The words tasted strange in Sasuke's mouth.

When was the last time he had to ask someone for their number?

Hinata's cheeks burned in a blush through her painted whiskers. A blush?

"U-u-u-um-" She was so flustered.

Sasuke smirked. That's better.

"Why do you need her number?" Double Buns let go of Hinata's sleeve, rounding on him.

"Tenten." Hinata quietly chided her friend.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'd like to take your friend out." Obviously.

"Oi, bastard, what the hell are you doing?"

The little group had traveled closer to the table Sasuke had left behind and now Naruto was peering over the booth, with whiskers and big fox ears sticking out of his blonde mess. Some of the other people eating glanced at them but Sasuke had never been bothered by that.

"Asking my friend out." Tenten replied, smirking after Sasuke ignored him.

Naruto's face broke into the chummiest, shit eating grin. Sasuke gritted his teeth and ignored him.

"Ohh, my little baby." Naruto sang, standing up to join them.

They were in an awkward spot, flanked by red vinyl booths on each side, a waitress trying to elbow pass them wouldn't make Sasuke move though. He was in too deep. He was getting this girls number if it's the last one he got.

Hinata looked between the two men as Naruto came up and placed a hand at the small of Sasuke's back. Her eyes were interesting, and somehow familiar to Sasuke but he didn't have time to examine them like he wanted.

"Are you guys together?" She asked, eyebrows knitted.

"No." Sasuke said simply, elbowing Naruto in the stomach. He could practically feel the unknown oils on his friend's hand seeping into the wool of his incredibly expensive jacket.

He turned to Hinata. "Cellphone." He held his hand out.

Tenten turned to scoff but Naruto had a hand out, future Hokage smile on, introducing himself. "Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto may have been a stupid shit, but he was an impeccable wing man.

Hinata had dug her phone out of her big jacket, begrudgingly, and unlocked it for him. Sasuke punched in his own number and pressed call, grabbing out his own vibrating phone from the pocket, passing the straw.

"Hey Hina, why don't you ask this weirdo to carve pumpkins with you?" Tenten smirked.

Hinata gasped and looked over and her friend. "I knew you didn't want to help me." She said quietly.

Did she always talk that quiet? Her bottom lip came out just a tiny bit in a minuscule pout. Sasuke licked his own.

What did she say about pumpkins?

"Um, this asshole would love to." Naruto sang. "He's a pumpkin carving machine."

Sasuke had refused to let Naruto carve a pumpkin in their apartment, claiming it was too messy and he was a klutz. In the last almost decade since they had met, Sasuke have never done anything remotely Halloween related, besides go to parties that Naruto had drug him to.

"Really?" Hinata asked.

Sasuke finally stopped to realize how ridiculous this was. He had chased down a random girl he had forcibly used to get him a straw and was now pressuring her into a date…. to carve pumpkin. Why? Because she had an amazing ass? Or was he really trying so hard because she seemed to not care about him at all? Is that all it took to get Sasuke interested?

How pathetic.

"Pumpkins?" Sasuke tried to ignore the monotonous indifference of his voice.

Naruto snickered. Hinata's cheeks burned again.

"U-um, I need toasted pumpkin seeds for my class on Monday… and… and pumpkins go on sale after Halloween, s-so…" Her entire face was on fire.

She spoke quietly and mumbled, stuttered and trailed off, not even meeting his gaze. Was it endearing or annoying?

Sasuke figured he would find out tomorrow. Carving pumpkins of all things.

"Perfect." Naruto clapped, nonchalantly stepping between the two girls. "Come over tomorrow and this stiff will help you carve the shit out of those pumpkins."

"If she only needs the seeds, why do we have to carve it?" Sasuke asked.

The two girls/strangers and Naruto turned to stare at him.

Sasuke suppressed the urge to huff and roll his eyes. "Fine. Fine. Carving pumpkins in November. Sounds great."

Naruto laughed. "Well, see you then." He smiled.

Tenten had finally stepped around the blonde man, threw up a peace sign, grabbed Hinata's sleeve and started dragging the short girl away.

Sasuke rubbed his face, wondering what the fuck had just happened, eyes glued to the ass that was currently walking away.

"I had to order for you." Naruto said, slapping his back.

Sasuke sighed. Goddamn.

"Oh!" The waitress returned to find both men still standing. "Did you need something else? I got your straw."

From across the diner, right about to push through the doors, Hinata's head whipped around, lavender knit scarf and cat ears askew with wide pale eyes, tomato red cheeks with drawn on kitten whiskers and a small, incredulous smile playing on her lips before her friend drug her out into the chilly Konoha autumn.


	2. Demon Rabbit Attack

Straw Saga 2

Demon Rabbit Attack

Sasuke had texted Hinata, around 8pm when Naruto was finally dragging him out to the club.

She hadn't replied.

It was bothering him.

Naruto had slapped a 'My Name Is' tag on his chest the said 'Not Sasuke' and somewhere after the fifth shot had asked one of the bartenders for a marker and had rewritten 'Asshole' on it.

Sasuke was just mildly surprised that it didn't say 'bastard'. Naruto was more surprised that Sasuke allowed it, though he had ulterior motives, drinking Naruto's shot while only half-heartedly chiding him to be careful of his shirt.

It was 10pm when Naruto's other friends showed up. Six or seven shots in and he was sitting outside smoking with Shikamaru Nara, who worked with Naruto and went to college around the same time as them and his friend Choji.

It must've been after the sixth or seventh shot, but it took him until the second cigarette for him to realize something. Shikamaru and Choji almost always equaled Ino.

And Ino meant...

"Hi, Not Sasuke."

Shikamaru smirked.

Sasuke could feel all his back muscles tense. His jaw clamped down and his neck felt like he had never heard the word chiropractor.

No. Not today Satan.

"Need another drink." Sasuke huffed, throwing his cigarette onto the sidewalk.

Sasuke wasn't one to stumble around drunk. Or slur his words. But he was definitely drunk.

Drunk Sasuke and Anytime Of the Day or Night Sakura Haruno did not mix.

Anymore.

She was dressed as a bunny. If a bunny was a trashy skank who took pride in disappointing her father. Even nearly naked, her scrawny body had nothing on Kitten in a turtleneck.

Why had that women not replied? Had he waited too long in texting her? Had he done it too soon? He had been to forward in asking her out, hadn't he?

He rubbed his hand down his face, wondering again why he had cared so much about her. Hinata. He rolled the name around in his head, letting it slosh about with his tumultuous thoughts. It really couldn't be because he was rude to her and felt guilty. He was rude to everyone.

So what was it?

"What's wrong? Girl trouble?" Sakura tilted her head to the side.

"Yes." Sasuke breathed out the cold, autumn air.

"But I just got here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and finally headed inside. She was as conceited as usual. He had no patience for it sober, and now he couldn't even have the decency to acknowledge it.

He found Naruto at the bar with Choji and Ino.

"Shot?" Naruto already had one held out to him.

All Sasuke could do was nod.

And that's how Sasuke woke up on his bedroom floor.

He sat up, head swimming for a moment and laid back down, finally appreciating how cold the hard wood was. Sasuke laid there for a long time. His body, naked, he absently noted, was finding too much cooling comfort to mind how it actually hurt his hips, elbows, shoulders, knees and back to be laying down there for so long.

He groaned, willing himself to sit up. He was getting too old for these shenanigans.

He didn't really remember much after Naruto force feeding him shots like a nursing mother.

Army crawling over to his bedside table, he reached up and found his phone, breathing a sigh of relief. It was plugged in even. Though the charge only said 56%, making Sasuke wonder how long ago he had got home.

Besides the pounding headache, his dry, swollen tongue, his cramped stomach, his sore arms and legs, he suddenly felt a tiny bit better. Because there was a text message, waiting in his inbox, from a saved contact labeled 'Kitten'.

Kitten: Sorry I got so drunk last night. 9:13am.

She had used the monkey emoji, covering its eyes in embarrassment. How cute was this chick?

Kitten: What time works for you? 9:13am.

Sasuke smiled, resting his head back down on the ground. At least Hinata had texted him. She didn't blow him off. What person gets so drunk they can't text back before 8pm? And is up and texting the next morning at 9am.

Sasuke glance at the time, and almost shit a brick.

1:43pm.

He had slept till almost 2pm?

Sasuke sat bolt up, ignoring the swimming feeling he felt in his head and stomach. Quickly he tried to formulate a text that would make him sound cool, calm, collected, aloof.

He settled for sending. Whenever. Followed by his address. That would have to do.

He got on all fours, taking a deep breath, grabbing onto the edge of his bed and hauling himself up. Standing straight up at 6' even, stretching his shoulders, breathing through his nose and praying to the gods of Ciroc that he didn't throw up on his floor.

He froze, noticing a massive lump under his comforter.

If he didn't feel sick before, he definitely did now.

He shoved the lump, half hoping that it was just his blankets piled up funky.

The pile moaned.

Sasuke groaned. Why? What slobbering, attention seeking, disease cesspool had he brought back into his safe haven? What had he done to deserve this?

The pile rustled around a bit more and Sasuke stared in morbid curiosity, waiting to find out who it was. That was until the head actually did pop out of the blankets.

Crazy, short pink hair. Sleepy, blinking, green eyes.

Sasuke finally leaned over and threw up.

"Oh god, Sasuke!" Her voice grated on his ears. "Are you okay?"

No. He was not fucking okay.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke yelled, before heaving again.

He could hear the girl gasp above him. "You invited me!" She yelled.

No. No. No. No. No. No.

Sasuke's phone pinged.

Kitten: Be there in 20? :) 1:45pm.

He dry heaved. "Ugh, you need to leave."

"Are you kidding me?" Sakura yelled.

"No. Get out."

Sakura crawled off the bed, wrapping the grey comforter around her body.

"I was drunk! You took advantage of me! I should call the cops." She yelled.

The door to the bedroom burst open, Naruto standing in the Karate Kid Crane kick pose in green frog boxers, his Kevlar vest and Aviator sunglasses.

"I heard yelling." He slurred. He must've still been drunk.

"I think Sasuke raped me." Sakura pouted.

Sasuke sat back down on the ground, a foot away from his throw up and held his head in his hands.

He had twenty minutes to wash the cigarette smoke off himself, and the vodka-vomit off the floor while kicking out his psycho ex-girlfriend before he had to carve pumpkins with an adorable stranger.

Naruto laughed. "Sasuke was so fucking wasted, there's no way he could've raped you with that whiskey dick."

Sasuke ground the palms of his hands into his eyes.

"Well he could've still sexually assaulted me!" She screamed. "You're a fucking cop! You should know that!"

Naruto laughed again. "You wanna know what I know. I know that you're the one who invited yourself over and you're the one who drug Sasuke in here against his will."

Sasuke, grabbed onto the edge of the bed, trying to stand back up.

Sakura tossed some hair out of her face. "As if."

Naruto had finally relaxed his Crane stance. Through the hazy fog, Sasuke could note that it had been impressive, if not stupid and dorky that he could hold it for so long.

"Sakura, he was yelling 'Get off Rabbit Demon' all the way down the hallway." Naruto leaned onto the door frame.

"Knew it. I'm going to sue you." Sasuke groaned, almost falling into down into the bed.

"Yeah, and I tried to stopping you, you know, to protect my friends honor, and you hit me in the face." Naruto ripped his glasses off to see a red mark and faint bruise on his cheek bone.

Sakura huffed, dropping the blanket to reveal her naked body.

Neither men were phased.

"You are lethality horny right now, aren't you?" Naruto asked dryly.

"Fuck you guys!" She screamed, looking around for her clothes.

"Get out." Sasuke groaned.

He managed shaky legs over to the walk in closet and fished out a black, long sleeve v-neck and jeans.

"Is the living room clean?" Sasuke asked.

He didn't remember coming back, or who had come and what they had done.

"Should be fine."

Sasuke sighed. Naruto's cleanliness standards were dismal. There could've been sewer rats sleeping on the couches and the idiot wouldn't notice.

"What, do you have company coming over?" Sakura sneered.

"Yes." Sasuke snapped.

He almost fell over putting socks on but righted himself, striding out of the closet.

"Oh! That girl!" Naruto laughed. "When's she coming over bastard? You got some pumpkins to carve."

"Girl?" Sakura sounded scandalized.

"We are not together." Sasuke enunciated, reminding the girl to shut up.

"Carving pumpkins?" She continued talking, clearly ignoring his hint. "Halloween is over."

"Sakura."

She stopped putting her bunny costume on to look at him, expectant.

"Get the fuck out." He snapped.

Sasuke had finally got Sakura out of the house, Naruto trailing after to pick them both up some coffee. He had managed to clean up the puke off his floor and brush his teeth before he heard a knock at the door. Spraying some cologne on, and immediately regretting it because it smelled so strong and still wishing he could've taken a shower.

Thankfully the living room wasn't too bad, and they would be in the kitchen anyways.

Sasuke wrenched open the door to see her and was glad to see that she looked relatively similar to what he had remembered. She was short, had to be almost a full foot shorter then him.

She was wearing a beanie that was pressing her bangs down into her thick lashes. He could see her large, pale eyes, and a small nose that was cherry red from the cold, but the rest of her face was tucked under the thick lavender scarf he remembered from yesterday.

"Hi." Her voice was muffled under the scarf.

She was carrying two, large, reusable shopping bags, and they must've been heavy because she set them down on the ground almost immediately after stepping into the apartment. Sasuke could see two, medium sized pumpkins in them and wondered how far she had to lug them around town.

She took off her hat, trying to fluff life back into her bangs, and unraveled her scarf.

"So, got too drunk at 8pm?" Sasuke asked, smirking.

Hinata froze while taking off that ridiculously large winter coat, her eyes widening and her cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

"I don't drink very much." She tried to defend herself.

He smiled and lead her to the kitchen.

She was wearing leggings again, Sasuke thanked god. And a baggy Konoha University Crewneck sweatshirt and grey knit socks. She looked cozy.

She looked cute.

"My friend, Tenten, made me promise to text her every ten minutes or she's going to call the cops." Hinata laughed, sounding apologetic.

Sasuke nodded. "Reasonable."


	3. He Was Hot And Now He Is Not

Straw Saga 3

He Was Hot And Now He Is Not

Hinata felt awkward standing in the stranger's kitchen. Because that's what this man was. A stranger.

In fact, the only thing she knew about him was that he was kind of grumpy.

Perhaps even an asshole.

"Um," Hinata tucked some hair behind her ear. "There's a sticker on your shirt."

It was one of those introduction stickers that had a ton of it scribbled out and replaced it as "My name is Asshole".

"How did I even hang this up?" He muttered under his breath, ripping off the sticker.

The way he had snapped at her about the straw. He couldn't even apologize without looking like he had lock jaw. Then he demanded, literally demanded, to make it up to her. Taking her phone and using it to get her number. Then ignoring her all day, until two in the afternoon to reply to her text.

Was he that petty because she didn't text him back the night before?

Perhaps the sticker wasn't that far off.

"I brought newspapers." She said as they reached the kitchen, if only to break the silence.

Hinata had never minded silences before, but it seemed awkward now. With a stranger. A mean stranger.

His apartment was nice and on the better side of town. Twice the size of the hovel her and Tenten were currently trying to tag team and still barely scraping by. It had a masculine, sterile feeling. Dark wood, generic white paint, leather couches, no throw pillows or curtains. It was clean and utilitarian and expensive.

The view was amazing.

"So, you said you needed pumpkin seeds." The guy asked slowly, his voice low and even.

Hinata nodded.

"For your class?" He pressed. "What class needs toasted pumpkin seeds?"

Hinata was vaguely impressed that the guy remembered what she had said yesterday. "Kindergarten."

The guy stopped looking through the reusable grocery bags and glanced at her. "You're a teacher?" He asked.

This was one of the first times that he didn't sound so dry. Like he was almost interested. Almost.

"Your sweatshirt." He glanced at her chest.

Hinata looked down with him, wondering if he disapproved of her clothing choices. She already had enough people in her life who did.

"Oh." She giggled. "Did you think I was still in school?"

The man shrugged broad shoulders.

"I graduated last year." Hinata wondered why she was supplying more information to questions he wasn't asking. Anything to not let it be awkward, she guessed.

The guy seemed to freeze. "How old are you?"

"Almost twenty-three." Hinata smiled, until she realized that she sounded like a child, making distinctions between half and quarters years.

She hoped that her cheeks wouldn't be red the whole time she was here.

The guy rubbed a hand down his thin, angled face and breathed out, slowly and then moved passed the table and into the kitchen. He seemed stressed to hear her age, though he had been fine when he thought she was even younger. He was rummaging through a cabinet and grabbed out a bottle of what looked to be Advil or Tylenol.

She wondered why he wanted to see her so bad if she annoyed him this much into the visit.

"Honey! I'm back." Someone yelled, entering the apartment.

The man groaned, upon hearing the intrusion.

It was the blonde man, from the restaurant who introduced himself as Naruto. Tall, tan, blonde, blue eyed, raspy voiced and dreamy.

"I got you a breakfast sandwich too. The one with the tomatoes. You know -" He paused upon seeing Hinata and flashed her a dazzling smile. "Hey, Naruto Uzumaki."

Hinata remembered.

Naruto set down the bag he held and the coffee tray and extended a tanned hand to Hinata which she shyly took in her own.

"I'll be right back." Grumpy guy groaned, making a beeline out of the kitchen and further into the house.

He looked like he was going to be sick.

Naruto grinned after him and Hinata remembered why she had wondered if they were together.

"Sorry, I didn't get you anything." Naruto rubbed the back of his head and ruffled his hair, laughing nervously.

"Um, it's okay… I don't drink coffee this late." She blanched, realizing that she sounded judgmental. "Usually…"

Hinata sighed, begging this day to turn around. She grabbed out her newspapers and spread them across the table, trying to figure out a way to make the situation less awkward.

"Oh, um, uh, Naruto?" Hinata basically squeaked.

He turned, swallowing down one of the breakfast sandwiches he was wolfing down. "What's up?"

"This is really embarrassing." Hinata bit her lip.

Naruto leaned away, looking scared. "What?"

Swallowing down some shame, Hinata tried to breathe through the blush burning through her face. "I - I - I kind of…" She tried to breath. "I, you see. I…"

"Listen, you can tell me what's wrong lady. I'm a cop." Naruto looked concerned, which only made Hinata feel even worse.

"I kind of… forgot his name." He rushed out.

Naruto froze.

Then burst into laughter.

Hinata rubbed her cheeks faintly, wondering if she should just walk out of the apartment and head back home and just forget this interaction ever happened. She'd leave the reusable grocery bags behind and buy new discount pumpkins. Casualties of her desperate escape.

Naruto hadn't stopped laughing.

Hinata was starting to think that this man wasn't as handsome as she had first thought he was. In fact, she was kind of tired of looking at his face, laughing maniacally as it was.

"What the fuck are you doing?" The sardonic sound of the gorgeous, dark haired man cut through the room and Hinata basically jumped through the air.

She noticed that he had changed his shirt.

She didn't have enough time to beg Naruto not to say anything. Plus, he wasn't even helpful.

"Oh my god dude." Naruto wheezed.

The dark haired man raised a lazy eyebrow.

Hinata couldn't have looked more panicked. She was furiously shaking her head, silently begging him to just shut up.

"She forgot your fucking name!"

Hinata's head hung in momentary shame.

The only thing filling the awkward silence between the two, black haired adults, was the blonde, viciously cackling at their misfortune.

Hinata definitely didn't find him attractive anymore.

"You forgot my name?" The man finally managed to say.

Hinata couldn't stop gaping like a fish. "I - I'm so sorry."

If only that sticker had said something else besides 'Asshole'.

She had been reduced to stuttering, bringing up painful, adolescent memories that she couldn't decide if it was worse than this current situation.

She could literally feel the blush burning through her body. It was hot. Humiliating. Painful.

Naruto still hadn't stopped laughing.

"You only said it the one time." I tried to defend.

The man picked up his coffee. "Sasuke." He snapped before taking a drink and then spitting it out onto his floor. "What the fuck is this?"

Naruto was still chuckling, softly. "Oh, I put some Fire Ball in it for you buddy."

"You fucking what?"

Hinata was just glad that they weren't talking about her not forgetting the guys name.

Sasuke. She tried to print into her brain. Sasuke. Don't forget.

"You used to love it." Naruto sounded so hurt.

Were they sure they weren't a couple?

Sasuke set down his coffee and snatched the breakfast sandwich off the counter, looking like he was going to be sick again.

"Let's carve these things." He said, as if preparing for battle.

It kind of was.

Naruto had decided to stay and help. Probably desperately hoping that he could witness more of the ridiculous, awkward misery that was shrouding the dark haired individuals. This was after he was forced to wipe up the coffee/spiced rum/spit that was on the floor. Hinata was surprised that it only took one glare from the guy who had actually spit it out, but a second later the blonde was on hands and knees with a paper towel.

Hinata gave Sasuke the rounder pumpkin, hoping to improve the poor man's mood. She had a new appreciation for someone who lived with a roommate such as he did. The problems started right at the beginning, when Sasuke had cut the top straight up and down, making it unusable as a lid. But he had also cut it too small for either his, or Naruto's hand, whom she learned had bigger hands than Sasuke.

This was not the end of the woes. Sasuke seemed to dry heave every time he touched the slimy interior of the round gourd. Which Naruto impulsively had to capitalize on and tried to wipe it on him every. single. time he had handful. They reminded Hinata of a couple trouble making boys in her class, but she was pretty sure that she wasn't allowed to reprimand her new acquaintances like she would her students. But if she could, she was sure that the five year olds would've listened better.

Getting all the pumpkin guts separated from the seeds had to be strictly Hinata's job, deciding to shoulder the responsibility after listening to childish bickering for too long.

Though they had just moved onto to something else to fight about, extensively discussing the different things they could carve and adamantly disagreeing with each other on any suggestion.

Placing the tray of seeds in the oven, Hinata actually smiled at the two grown men. She didn't know them, this was true. But they reminded her of the love/hate relationship she shared with an annoying little sister and wondered how close these two roommates really were.

She was just about to plan out her own pumpkin face when noticing that she had gotten a smear of pumpkin strings on her college sweatshirt. It was too high up to try and wash while keeping it on, and glancing over and the preoccupied men, she decided it was safe to take it off.

She had a shirt underneath! She wasn't a crazy person. It was a tight, white tank top, something she wouldn't wear by itself but neither Sasuke nor Naruto seemed like they were going to stop the heated debate of a Star Wars to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to carve into the pumpkin. Laughing to herself and taking one of the paper towels that she had seen Naruto use to rub out the orange smudge, she laughed, thinking that she spent one of her days off basically doing the thing she does all week.

She turned the water off and pulled the crewneck back on, ignoring the damp spot and turned back to face the table to notice that it had gone dead silent. Both blonde and brunette were starving at her, blank faced.

Hinata squeaked.

Sasuke cleared his throat and elbowed his friend. "Get the fucking marker you idiot."

What an eloquent man.

Hinata had decided on a simple cat. Which had been relatively easy and she had been able to design with ease. Drawing with children had few perks.

Hinata was almost finished when -

"Um, shit." Naruto mumbled.

"You fucking idiot, that was the supporting piece." Sasuke hissed, running a hand down his face.

Naruto was holding, what looked to be like their entire piece of the pumpkin flesh they had been designing. Hinata was embarrassed to self-admit that she couldn't even tell if they had settled on Star Wars or TMNT.

Sasuke stood up, running his fingers through his thick black hair and exhaling an annoying breath through his nose. He got up and walked around to the side Hinata was on and paused.

Hinata was peaking over at him, and he was smirking when he saw it. "A kitten." His voice slid out soft and smooth and made Hinata shiver, before Sasuke had moved on to the sink.

Naruto had still insisted that they put their pathetic Jack-O-Lantern, which was just a hollowed out pumpkin with a big hole on top and a jagged hole in the front, out on the porch with Hinata's 'kitten', lighting the tea candles that Hinata had brought.

When the pumpkin seeds were finished and Hinata had put them into a gallon sized Ziploc (she had a lot of things in those shopping bags) and offered to clean the cookie sheet, which Naruto had declined. Though he had just left it in the sink and Hinata could tell the clench of Sasuke's jaw that he was annoyed.

Hinata's pumpkin seeds were packed away, photos of her kitten-pumpkin catalogued on her phone, newspapers thrown away and cookie sheet shoved into the sink and she was ready to go.

Sasuke was standing at the door as Hinata got ready to leave.

"So dinner, next Saturday." She remembered the way he spoke yesterday. In statements instead of questions.

"Oh." She tucked some hair behind her ear.

She thought to how handsome Sasuke was. How when he had smirked about her pumpkin that it had made her shiver in excitement that she hadn't felt in a long time. That, maybe even his forwardness was even a little sexy.

But...

"That's probably not the best idea."


	4. Definitely Totally Off For Sure

Straw Saga 4

Definitely Totally Off For Sure

She had said no. She had blatantly refused to go out to dinner.

Naruto could still not stop laughing about it.

"And then, and then -" He laughed. "She ran away. She literally ran away from you."

Sasuke was lying on his couch, eyes closed. He attributed the terrible encounter almost wholly onto Naruto being the fucktwad that he was. If Sasuke hadn't have gotten so completely wasted with his loser friend then he would've actually been able to form coherent sentences. He would've been able to actually hold a conversation. He would've been able to talk her into the redemption dinner.

So when Naruto had tried to sit down with him on the couch near Sasuke's feet, he had kicked him.

Naruto was now crouched in one of the matching arm chairs, his massive body trying to sit in it side ways making it look ridiculously uncomfortable.

Good. Sasuke wanted him to suffer.

"God, though did you see that chicks rack?" Naruto broke through the pseudo silence.

They had the TV on but neither one was paying attention.

Sasuke, who had his eyes closed, resting a hand on the bridge of his nose, praying for his hangover headache to unburden him, finally cracked open an eye.

Hinata getting pumpkin on her college sweatshirt was a major high point of the day. Who knew what lay underneath was so… so…

"Those tits are ridiculous."

Sasuke closed his eye again. "Hn." He agreed.

They truly were though.

"Now I know why you're blowing off Sakura." He laughed.

He ground two palms into his eyes, exhaling hard, almost groaning. "Sakura and I are done."

"Wow." Naruto droned. "I have never heard that one before." His voice was in monotonous mocking.

"Have you heard about the one where I beat your fucking face?"

Naruto laughed. "But seriously, man, you and Sakura are inevitable."

Sasuke was now 110% done with this conversation but lacked the ability to pull himself off the couch and go to his own bedroom. His fortress of solitude.

"I didn't know you knew that word."

Naruto laughed again. "But really. You're gonna fuck around with this little sweetheart, big-tits, school teacher for a week or two and get back together with Sakura like you always do."

The more he described Hinata the more Sasuke wanted to hit something. Something like the blonde fucker currently running his mouth. Not to mention the constant conversations of his irrelevant ex.

"Sakura's crazy."

"You make her crazy."

Sasuke groaned. "You should shut the fuck up."

"It's true. Why mess around with this chick, that is clearly not your type, when you and Sakura are just 'off' right now?" Naruto pressed, finally setting down his phone.

"We're not 'off'." Sasuke tried to talk as calmly as possible. Raising his voice would only make his headache worse. "We are done. We're broken up. Not together. Not dating."

"For now."

"God, man, what the fuck do you want?" Sasuke finally seethed. "I don't want to be with Sakura. She's crazy."

"You want to be with this girl? You don't even know her. You've known Sakura your whole life."

"Why are you even trying to get me back with her? Aren't you in love with her? You can have her."

"That was high school." Naruto dismissed.

"Yes. High school. We've been doing this back and forth shit for ten years. Ten fucking years. I don't need this."

"She's our best friend." Naruto defended.

Realizing that the conversation was going nowhere but a migraine, Sasuke laid his head back down, eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You might wanna fill her in on that." Sasuke snapped at last, leaving the conversation to that.

Sasuke did not want to think about his constant go around with his ex. That would give him crippling headaches even in peak physical health. The constant back and forth between them, the unhealthy break up and hook ups and reunions that had drove their friendship into the dirt. Sasuke was done. He had been done for a long time.

And even though Hinata was a stranger, Sasuke really was ready to pursue something with someone else. Not just sleep with them until Sakura wormed her way back into the equation.

Especially with someone with a body like that. Naruto wasn't exaggerating. Who knew what that women could hide under those frumpy shirts he had seen her in? Hinata was definitely not the body type he was used to. Sakura and even Ino were more of the tall and skinny, need a cheeseburger, type women. Hinata was something that Sasuke would think about well into the night or during a hot shower.

Not to mention how sweet and quiet she seemed. How long had it been since he had heard a girl not shrieking near him? The way she blushed. Blushed. Real blushing. There was something so innocent about the way she acted.

But paired with her body...

Sasuke wanted to do unspeakable things with this women.

But he also wanted to know why she didn't seem to like him. Besides the disastrous pumpkin carving. Because he knew exactly why that had been terrible.

One; Naruto. Two; hangover.

But she never really seemed interested in him. In fact, almost all of her blushing just seemed to be from actual embarrassment, not coyness or infatuation. She seemed rather indifferent to him altogether.

But why?

Much later into the day, Sasuke prepared for work on Monday like normal. Yes, he was a workaholic. If it hadn't have been for Halloween, he probably would've worked almost the entire weekend. He was the job.

But he could not stop thinking about Hinata.

She had said no. No. Albeit in the kindest way someone could say no. But a refusal nonetheless.

Well into the night, after thinking about that ass, he had time to contemplate things. He needed another opportunity to make a good impression. He needed a way to see her casually again to shift the attitude she held towards him so she would finally agree to a date.

Sasuke should be able to do that. He basically did it for a living. Getting a judge or jury or mediator to change their opinions and perspectives to shape his narrative was what he did everyday.

He could do this.

Sasuke only had one form of communication with Hinata, so after he woke up at 4:45 am and did his morning jog, he made himself a cup of coffee and tried to gather whatever he had left of his texting game.

Sasuke: I'll bring you coffee today. 5:30 am.

Straight forward as always, Uchiha.

He had been able to take a shower and get dressed before she had texted back.

Hinata: I'll be at work. 6:00 am.

He had, almost reluctantly changed her name in his phone.

Sasuke: There's this crazy new invention called to go cups. 6:01 am.

He smirked at his own cleverness, hoping she would find him funny.

Sasuke: They even come with lids. What time works? 6:01 am.

Hinata: Then you'll know where I work. 6:07 am.

Sasuke: You know where I live. 6:08 am.

Touché.

Sasuke: I could also use my connections in the police force to find your address. Make it even. 6:09 am.

Sasuke paused to muse on if his forwardness could possibly border the line of a soft harassment. He tried to swallow down his regret, but he couldn't stop looking at him phone, praying he didn't say something too stupid.

Hinata: Sounds like misuse of city funds. 6:15 am.

She didn't sound angry at least. Almost playful.

Sasuke: It does. I would like to further discuss economics and politics over coffee. 6:16 am.

Sasuke felt like crossing his fingers but decided against it.

Hinata: 12:15 6:20 am.

Sasuke smirks when she sends the address.

Hinata: Can I change it to cocoa, please? 6:31 am.

Sasuke actually chuckled.

Sasuke: Whipped cream? 6:32 am.

Hinata: Please :) 6:33 am.

Sasuke was a few minutes later into the office then usual, he had been waiting for Hinata's reply before driving to work. Karin noticed and asked him about it, but he shrugged her off. She worked for him, he didn't owe her an explanation. Karin was even more surprised when Sasuke informed her that he would be leaving for lunch. Something he never did.

Sasuke hadn't given it much thought, but he realized that Hinata might live on the side of town where the pancake place was, where he had first seen her two days ago. Because her school was also on the side of town. It wasn't the worst side, there were definitely worse neighborhoods and areas of Konoha, but this wasn't the side of town that Sasuke usually went to without a reason.

Reasons like Naruto wanting pancakes. Or a pretty girl.

Hinata had already sent him her room number, but he still had to sign in at the office. There was a receptionist, a woman unfortunately, who wasn't paying attention and turned in her chair, humming some song. Sasuke had no interest in gaining the women's attention, so he tried to look down at the plethora of clipboards on the counter and find them himself. He had gone to seven years of college, he could figure out how to do a visitors sign in.

"Excuse?"

Damn.

Sasuke glanced up at the receptionist who had noticed him. She looked older, like one of the student's mom. But she was giving him that look that most women did. He suppressed an urge to roll his eyes.

"Visitor sign in." Sasuke would've drummed his fingers but he was holding coffee cups in two hands.

"I think is lunch time for most classes, but which one is your student in?" She smiled at him.

Was she using bedroom eyes. Not that Sasuke was an ageist, but bedroom eyes and crow's feet with crepe makeup made him feel nauseated. It wasn't a good mix.

Sasuke swallowed. "Teacher. Room 307. Her name is -"

"You here for Hinata?" A much younger women popped up from further back into the office.

Sasuke nodded. This girl was probably around 5'6, on the thin side, long brown hair, brown eyes and a smile.

"I'll walk him down." She offered. "I'm headed to Kurenai's class anyways." She told the lady.

If Sasuke wasn't here for a specific reason, a mission if you will, he probably would've just left. But instead, he was handed the correct clipboard, sighed himself in and had to put a visitor's sticker on his suit coat. His very expensive suit coat. And was now carrying one coffee and one hot chocolate down a school hallway following behind this stranger. Who was babbling.

"I'm Tamaki. Hinata and I go to school together." She stopped shaking her head. "I mean, we did. I still do. But she doesn't. Obviously." She laughed, trying to compose herself. "Because she works here now. Well, I mean, I do too but I'm not a teacher yet. Hinata's an actual teacher. But I'm sure you knew that. Of course you would." She laughed again, glancing at him side ways.

Sasuke said nothing to her awkward monologue and focused on remembering the way to Hinata's classroom. He wasn't quite sure if he'd ever visit her again. But if he did, he would make damn sure he didn't need anyone showing him the way.

"How do you know Hinata?" Tamaki asked, breaking the silence.

Sasuke didn't know how to answer that. Because he still didn't really know her.

"We met recently." Sasuke supplied.

A lawyer trick. It was the truth. But didn't really answer her question. Poor girl barely noticed.

"Well, Hinata is probably on her way back to class. She's expecting you, right?" Tamaki asked.

They reached room 307 and Sasuke noted that it said Ms. Hyuga on the door.

When they stepped in, Sasuke had flooding flash backs of his own Kindergarten classroom and he wondered if they were all the same.

"I can wait with you if you -"

"No." Sasuke said too quickly, watching the girls face fall.

Usually he wouldn't care. If he wasn't a lawyer, his day job would've been curving bitches. But Tamaki seemed like one of Hinata's friends, and he was trying to make a good impression.

Before he could remedy the situation, he could hear laughter right outside the door. Hinata walked in, standing particularly close to a man, whom she was giggling with.

Whatever he said couldn't have been that funny.

She stopped quickly, noticing Sasuke, and he was happy to note that she seemed impressed with his attire. He was sure he looked better in his expensive suite then some teacher in cheap slacks and rolled up white button up and glasses.

"Oh, hello." She breathed in greeting.

"See you Hinata." Tamaki mumbled, probably still mad at Sasuke dismissal.

Hinata stopped staring at Sasuke's tie enough to bid farewell to the girl. "Bye Tamaki, bye Shino."

The guy, Shino, purses his lips, looking at Sasuke, but still turned on his heels and left with Tamaki.

"Sorry, did you have to wait long?" She asked.

"Not at all."

Sasuke offered her the drink and she smiled. It was a pretty smile. Her teeth were straight, white and she had a dimple in one of her round cheeks.

"You remembered my name." He teased.

She blushed, hard. "I'm so sorry about that."

"So, this is your class?" Sasuke asked.

Obviously, idiot. He was just trying to show interest in her. Because, he was interested in her. But he could've come up with something better than that.

He really just wanted to change the subject. He liked her blush but he didn't want her face to burst.

Her face brightened and some of the redness faded. "It is. This is only my first year working here, but I really like it."

Sasuke nodded, recalling how young she was and how much it had startled him in his hangover fog. He didn't think he had told her his exact age, but she knew he was a lawyer and she could do the math.

At least he hoped she could do math. She was teaching the future after all.

She chatted with him for a couple more minutes about random things and Sasuke got to observe her some more. She was wearing black, tapered leg slacks that he could still appreciate her ass in, and clogs. Yes, mom clogs. And as always, a sweater with a white button up shirt poking up underneath.

They decided to sit at Hinata's desk after some more mindless chitchat.

"You really didn't need to bring me this. Though it's much appreciated." She smiled.

"It's an… apology." Sasuke suffered out the word. "For yesterday."

"So, an apology coffee?"

"Cocoa." Sasuke pointedly corrected.

"Of course." She smiled. "You seem to enjoy apologizing."

Sasuke tried not to glare at her. She was cute after all. "I wouldn't say that."

She laughed. Sasuke like it.

"Well, I think you are completely caught up on all the apologizing. In fact, I think these are the most over the top apologies I've ever received."

"How so?"

"Well, you helped me carve pumpkins just because you mistook me for a waitress. Tenten sends her thanks for that by the way. I think she has crafting PTSD."

"Crafting PTSD?" Sasuke wanted to laugh.

"Apparently," Hinata's face became deadly serious. "People can get tired of crafts."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no." She smiled again. "You have it too, don't you?"

Hinata turned and shuffled through some papers on her desk. She was much more playful then Sasuke remembered her being. Though she still blushed like she was a little shy. It was endearing. Sasuke also liked that she didn't seem to be obsessed with his opinions, teasing him even. Not many women did that.

She finally brought out a piece of paper that had glued pumpkin seeds on the front, in the shape of a pumpkin. She was looking at his face, scrutinizing his expression.

She was still messing with him.

"It's cute."

He wasn't talking about the pumpkin.

She smiled. "I think you're safe. These are the pumpkin seeds by the way."

He rolled his eyes. Hinata giggled and he smirked into his coffee cup in another victory.

"From our pumpkins."

Yes, he said 'our'. Like some pathetic girl, already trying to form some awkward pumpkin carving memory bond.

She smiled and nodded.

It was nearing time for her students to return and Sasuke was surprised to find that it was her only break during the whole day. But he was more surprised to find that he still hadn't closed the deal about a date.

"So, dinner. This Saturday?"

"What do you have to apologize for this time?" She giggled.

"Nothing." Sasuke scoffed confidently but then berated himself.

She hasn't said 'yes' yet.

"Hopefully."

She giggled again.

"I just want to take you to dinner."

It made Sasuke uncomfortable with how honest he was being.

Hinata looked at him evenly, biting back a smile. "Okay, sure."

Not the type of reaction he usually got asking a girl out, but definitely better than the rejection he got yesterday. And staring at her, biting her plump bottom lip, he found he didn't really mind as long as she agreed.

Children started flooding back into her classroom. Some of them taking their seats, a couple of little girls grouping together in a corner to giggle, but a few swarmed Hinata.

"Ms. Hyuga, who's that?"

"Is that your husband Ms. Hyuga?"

Sasuke watched Hinata's cheeks turn bright red, trying to corral her students back to their tables. She really was adorable.

"Ms. Hyuga, is that your dad?"

That was his cue to leave.


	5. Good Old Fashion Awkward Conversation

Straw Saga 5

Good Old Fashion Awkward Conversation

"I thought you said that pumpkin carving didn't go well." Tenten said for the one hundredth time.

Hinata and Tenten were crammed in their single bathroom. Hinata currently getting ready for her date and Tenten, judging and scrutinizing like a good friend does.

Hinata just shrugged and continued curling her hair in loose waves. "I don't think it's really his thing. It was nice of him to do it anyways."

Tenten shrugged her shoulders and leaned back on the closed toilet she was using as a chair. "I'm glad he agreed to be honest. I was so hungover, I wouldn't have been any help."

"I remember." Hinata giggled. "Did you get Lee's mom's dress dry cleaned yet?"

Tenten hung her face in her hands. "Yes, I had to go to a dry cleaner that his family didn't own. Do you know how hard that was to find. I swear they own every single one on this side of the city."

"I'm sad I was passed out for that." Hinata giggled.

"Ow!" She yelled a second later. Burning her finger.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Didn't miss much. Halloween was a shit show."

Sticking her burnt finger in her mouth, Hinata giggled again. "I'm pretty sure I had a hand it that."

Tenten wrinkled her nose. "You did. Definitely should avoid drinking on your date. I could've swore you said that the blonde was cuter."

Hinata didn't want to talk about Naruto, or her date with Sasuke that Tenten had been trying to talk her out of all week.

"I still think it's weird that Lee wanted you to wear his mom's dress on Halloween."

Hinata glance sideways to gauge her friends reaction. Tenten slumped forward on the closed toilet/chair, laying her head in her hands.

"Please can we not discuss Lee's possible fetishes."

Hinata giggled again, trying to finish her hair in enough before her Uber arrives.

"First there was the that romper thing." Tenten shook out her long brown hair. "And then the 80's leg warmers. Then he asked me to stop plucking my eyebrows." She groaned.

"I thought you didn't wanna talk about it." Hinata giggled, but gasped, burning her fingers again.

"How are you going to eat if you burn all your fingers off?"

Hinata set the curling iron down and turned in the mirror, showing Tenten her butt. "I always manage."

Tenten rolled her eyes.

Hinata was wearing a cream sweater dress, with see through black nylon tights underneath and thigh high boots, so there was absolutely no skin showing, but she still tried to look pretty. It was cold, just after the first week of November and even if it was warm out, Hinata wasn't the type of person to wear a slutty dress anyways.

Tenten assured her that she still looked amazing bundled up.

Hinata needed more reassurance. "So, do I look okay?"

She was playing with her fingers. An old, nervous habit.

"Yes! Girl, yas." Tenten stood up off the toilet and appraised her friend. "I already said it. You look like a slam piece."

Hinata looked away, embarrassed but smiled. She needed it more than she was willing to admit.

Hinata's phone binged, notifying her that the Uber had pulled up in front of the building.

"Gotta go Ten, love you."

"But we were just getting to the weird part of the conversation. Like how Lee dresses just like his step dad too." Tenten paused."... And he wanted me to dress like his mom. This is weirder than I thought."

Hinata giggled, throwing on her scarf and headed to the door. "Save some of the crazy talk for when I get back."

Hinata was nervous before a date, as was typical. She was a pretty nervous person on an average day so a date with Sasuke had her nerves so worked up she had felt sick this morning.

When she finally met up with Sasuke outside the restaurant, she had to admit he was breathtaking. She had observed it before but she was still continually shocked by how beautiful his face was.

He had smirked instead of smiled when greeting her, she ruefully noted. When walking in, he had also refrained from touching her. Out of respect or disinterest, she didn't know.

The restaurant was nice. It reminded Hinata of a place her dad would take her and Hanabi on special occasions as they got older.

Expensive without reason.

"So… You're a lawyer." Hinata tried to strike up the conversation.

Sasuke nodded. "I am."

Hinata smiled slightly. "Any reason you picked that particular job field."

Sasuke drummed his fingers on the table. "I've always had a passion for overworking and stress."

He said is so dryly, without a hint of mirth that it actually made Hinata laugh.

Sasuke did seem slightly amused that she found it funny.

"You always wanted to be a teacher?" He asked back.

Hinata fidget with a piece of hair. "Um, no actually. My first semester I was pursuing a business major."

"A Hyuga." Sasuke spoke. "Hyuga Corp?"

She noticed that he asked questions that sounded like statements.

"Yes."

"You changed your mind?"

Hinata nodded. "My brother's suggestion."

"You have a brother?"

Hinata bit her lip, cursing her awkwardness. "Uh, more of a cousin, really. But yes, he helped me change my mind."

"Business major to teacher?"

Hinata laughed again. "Well, I didn't really know what I wanted. But I was really close to one of my old tutors and she was a teacher. I actually work with her now. So… yeah." Hinata trailed off uncomfortably.

"You must be close with your brother then." Sasuke used her original word choice.

Hinata bit her lip hard, regretting bringing him up at all. How was she suppose to explain Neji without making the whole date awkward.

"We -" She paused, looking down at the table cloth. "We were. He was in a car accident."

Sasuke started at her. Cue the awkward silence that inevitably follows a confession of a dead relative.

When Sasuke when to open his mouth to utter the ever awkward apology that follows the more awkward confession, Hinata cut him off.

"It was awhile ago." She smiled. Or grimaced. "So -"

She prayed the conversation would go on.

"My dad is a police officer." Sasuke said instead. "Upstate."

Hinata could've cried for joy that he had changed the subject.

"Naruto's dad is a lawyer. So we obviously picked the opposite career choice." Sasuke shrugged.

Hinata giggled again. "Naturally."

Sasuke smirked at her again.

The rest of the conversations were on tamer, superficial subjects. Like favorite colors, which Sasuke denied having and Hinata reluctantly chose purple. Pretty basic, not harmful questions.

Until...

"What's your favorite dessert?" Hinata asked.

"I don't like dessert."

He said it so fast, Hinata was sure she didn't hear him right.

"Excuse me?" She squeaked.

Sasuke looked at her over the table, blank faced. "I don't like sweet things."

"You… you don't like sweet things?" Hinata's hand froze over her plate.

He was still looking at her over the food, perhaps trying to gauge her reaction. Hinata was trying to hold her facial expressions in. She really was. But -

"Like, any sweet things?" She blurted out again. "I know some people don't like chocolate. Or they don't like sour stuff. But, but nothing?"

"Not really." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders in indifference.

Hinata tried to resist the urge to request her Uber driver already. He was clearly a psychopath. What person didn't like sweet things?

"How?" She breathed out in actual disbelief.

Sasuke just kept staring at her. It was unnerving. "What do you mean? How?"

Like how the fuck can one person not like dessert? What's wrong in your head? What kind of batshit crazy -

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked, dryly.

Hinata realized that she was frozen, fork and knife over her plate, just staring at him.

She set the silverware down quickly, cheeks burning in embarrassment and grabbed her glass of water, regretting Tenten's advice of not drinking.

"Fine."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Sasuke eyed her again.

"So, TV shows?" Hinata asked again.

She did not was to stay on the subject.

But it came up again near the end of the dinner.

"Do you want dessert?" He asked her, slowly.

"No thank you." She smiled.

The waiter went to walk away but Sasuke put his hand up. Hinata tried to ignore that it was rude of him. He wasn't even looking at the poor guy.

"You sure?" Sasuke asked again.

This time Hinata turned to look at the waiter and decided to smile at him instead. "Yes I'm sure. Thank you so much."

The waiter smiled back and Sasuke finally put his hand down, letting him walk away.

"Is skipping dessert not a crime to you?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata couldn't tell if he was playfully teasing or actually making fun of her.

They finished dinner and Sasuke walked her outside. The cold hair hitting her face, splashing her with clarity.

"Oh! I forgot to request an Uber." Hinata's hand flew to her cheek, looking at Sasuke apologetically.

Sasuke shrugged, his hands in his pockets. "I don't mind waiting." He paused again, letting Hinata fiddle with her app. "In fact, there's something I wanted to ask you."

Hinata paused, looking up at him. He was a lot taller than her. Almost a whole foot.

"I'd like to pursue another date with you." He spoke, shifting on his feet, hands in his pockets.

"What?"

Had Hinata heard him right.

He finally met her eyes and gave her a pointed look. He wasn't going to repeat himself.

"Like… you want to date me?" Hinata asked, slowly.

It was an awkward question. Asking at the risk of him scoffing and brushing her off. Perhaps she had misunderstood him completely.

"Yes." He huffed.

Huh. Hinata thought that was mildly surprising.

Sasuke sighed through her silence. "I would like to date you."

Yet another way Sasuke didn't really ask questions.

Hinata stopped to stare at him for a while, wringing her fingers together nervously. It got awkwardly silent until Hinata realized that he was waiting for her to reply. A reply to his "question".

"Oh, um. It's just that, um." She tucked some hair behind her ear, trying to swallow. "I don't know…."

Sasuke closed his eyes, sucking in a air through his nose, head leaned back. He waited a moment, expelling the breath and looked back at her. His lips were in a small frown, though she found that they normal were, but one eyebrow was raised. Expectant.

"What?" Hinata squeaked.

"What is it this time?" Sasuke asked.

"It's just, I don't know if I can date someone who doesn't like dessert."

Sasuke sighed, rubbing his hands down his face. "Fine." He huffed.

He reached over and snatched Hinata's hand in his own and started pulling her away.

"B-b-but my Uber?" She followed him down the sidewalk anyways, curling her hand to hold his as well.

"Cancel it."

Hinata kept up to speed with him, walking further away from the restaurant.

Had she finally done it?

She made the stranger angry and now he was going to drag her off into back alley and strangle her or something. That thing happened in the city all the time.

Maybe not all the time. But still...

"Where are we going?"

Sasuke glanced sideways, down at her.

Hinata had to admit he really was beautiful. High cheekbones, straight, sharp nose, nicely shaped, high brows, strong chin. He was gorgeous. Could've been a model instead of a lawyer.

"Tch. Desert."


	6. Of Soulmates And Sandwiches

Straw Saga 6

Of Soulmates And Sandwiches

Hinata had finally agreed to date him after dragging her two blocks and going to an ice cream shop. Sasuke sat with her as she ate a cup of cinnamon swirl and lightly teased her.

The blush was too cute to pass up.

He wanted to take her out again, on Sunday. Week days were really busy for him, and apparently she was as easy to sway as deciding on dessert or not. He didn't want to go that long without trying to make another good impression on her. Someone else good buy her dessert while he's busy and sweep her away.

"Let's not do dinner again." Hinata spoke, walking in the cold next to him.

Sasuke sighed. "I thought you just agreed."

He held down a smirk, watching her cheeks burn tomato red again.

"I d-did." She stammered.

Her flustered sutter almost made him smile for real.

"I just meant, we should do something else besides dinner."

Sasuke noticed that she played with her fingers when she was nervous.

"I just have a lot of stuff to get ready for Monday." She tried to explain.

Sasuke understood. She must've used Sunday afternoon to prepare for her next day's classes. Sasuke could appreciate the work ethic.

"Brunch then?"

Hinata beamed. "I know just the place."

Being back at the pancake place with Hinata was a little strange. Sasuke had not anticipate returning. He hadn't cared very much for this side of town. How Naruto knew about the pancake place was beyond him. But Hinata had admitted to coming to the pancake place a lot.

Sasuke wondered how often he might find himself here in the future.

"Don't you think brunch is an awkward meal?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata looked up from her menu, questioningly. She didn't immediately ask 'why' but gave room for Sasuke to continue.

"You miss a meal then."

She laughed, hard. "Are you that serious about food?"

Sasuke leaned back against the booth seat, giving her an even stare. "Says a woman who refused to date me until I bought her ice cream."

Hinata looked abashed. "T-t-that wasn't a stipulation."

Sasuke smirked at her rising blush.

"Hey, are you guys ready to order? Ohhhhh -"

Sasuke glanced up at the purring waitress and recognized her instantly. The same airhead from last time.

She seemed to recognize him too. "You're the guy asking for the straw." She smiled.

"Mmmhmmm." Hinata was stifling a cute little smile.

The waitress rounded on Hinata, glaring at her from clear jealousy. Hinata ducked her head, cheeks red, pretending to read the menu.

Sasuke glared at the waitress. She was annoying to begin with, and bringing up that stupid straw incident wasn't making him like her anymore.

The straw he still had in his pocket…

"Coffee." Sasuke lazily interrupted the waitresses glare.

"Oh, what?" She asked, doing a three hundred and sixty degree personality spin, smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes.

Sasuke just stared. He wasn't going to repeat himself.

"Cream and sug -"

"No." Sasuke looked away before she could finish asking.

Hinata ordered a hot chocolate.

After the waitress went away, Hinata smiled back at him.

"Want to play twenty questions?" She asked.

Sasuke usually hated games just to pass the time. But he had to admit that he still didn't know very much about Hinata.

"Is twenty all I get?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Is that one of your questions?" She asked, giggling to herself.

Sasuke had to smirk. She was mildly funny sometimes.

"What are you going to order?" Sasuke asked.

"Cinnamon roll pancakes." She said easily. Sasuke wondered if that's what she usually got.

"What about you?" She asked.

Sasuke leaned down and pointed to the thing he planning on ordering.

Naruto had ordered for him last time, but it wasn't something he would've picked for himself. This time he was getting a vegetable omelet.

Hinata wrinkled her nose, finally reading what he was saying.

"Extra tomatoes?" She finally asked.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.

She giggled. "Sorry, I just remembered that you did that last night too."

Sasuke looked at Hinata a bit longer.

She really was something else.

"So, do I have to buy you dessert?" Sasuke finally asked as they were getting ready to go.

"No." Hinata giggled. "And I can pay for things too."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. In Sasuke's mind, men paid for things. Especially men that made easily three times this girl's salary, if he had to guess. He didn't really care that it was an old way of thinking.

"Listen, you seem to be a finicky person." Sasuke looked at her cheeks redden all the way to her ears. He tried to hold in his smirk. "If your mind can be swayed so easily by dessert, it's basically my obligation to buy you some."

She bit her plump bottom lip, cheeks still crimson.

"Look, you'll find someone else to buy to dessert before Saturday if I don't."

Hinata pressed her fingers to her cheeks, letting out a small whine. "Mmmm," She pouted. "You're teasing me."

Sasuke smirked.

"Well… there is this churro place around the block…."

Sasuke laughed for real.

During the week, Sasuke had to do something that he was usually uncomfortable with.

Small talk texting.

He was serious, when he had joked about her finding someone else during the week. Not completely, but a week was a long time to not see someone. Especially someone that he didn't know very well. Someone he hadn't have made a clear, distinct impression of. They really could lose interest in a week of no interaction.

So, in a lapse of judgment, Sasuke took some of Naruto's advice.

Which happened to feel like borderline harassment.

Texting without purpose.

Sasuke had to text random things he was doing during the day, or continue asking twenty questions.

Sasuke: What's up? 12:15 pm.

He had never pretended to be eloquent. But he knew she would be able to text back at this time.

Hinata: Kids are at lunch and I'm trying to grade some papers. 12:16 pm.

His suspicions were correct.

Hinata: You? 12:16 pm.

Sasuke was currently poring over a some files for a case that was headed to court soon.

Sasuke: I forgot my lunch and am too busy to leave today. 12:17 pm.

But apparently not too busy to text… he chose not to muse on that long though.

Hinata: What is your work address? 12:19 pm.

Sasuke: Why would you need that? 12:20 pm.

Hinata: You know my work address. It's only fair. 12:22 pm.

He smirked, her using his line.

Hinata: Count it as one of my questions. 12:22 pm.

Sasuke smiled. They had asked far more than twenty questions.

Sasuke finally sent it.

Hinata made no other mention of why she wanted it until thirty minutes later when Karin came to his office.

"Sasuke, there's a delivery for you." She poked her head in the door.

Sasuke didn't even look up at her. "I didn't order anything."

"Does that mean I can eat it?" Suigetsu burst into the office, knocking Karin out of the way.

He was carrying a generic, plastic grocery bag that looked to only have a few items in it.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked, only mildly annoying.

His coworker didn't usually bother him during the day.

"Food. The guy said a note was attached to it." Suigetsu was reaching to take the note off but Sasuke snatched the bag out of his hand.

"Do you guys mind." Sasuke snapped.

Suigetsu frowned, shaking. "Could've got me something too…"

Sasuke ignored them, reaching the note. It wants in the handwriting Sasuke had saw in Hinata's class room, but she must've asked the deliverer to write it.

'This place is a couple block from my apartment. Hope you like it.

PS, I picked Diet because it's not as sweet.'

Sasuke opened the bag, pilfering through the items. Diet Coke was obvious, and he smiled, thinking about Hinata picking diet just for him. There was also a pack of Garden Salsa Sun Chips. The last thing was a white, paper package that he quickly opened. It looked like a grilled cheese…. with tomatoes?

Sasuke: You sent me lunch? 12:55 pm.

Hinata: Isn't missing a meal a crime? 12:56 pm.

Sasuke smiled, biting into the sandwich. It was delicious.

Sasuke: About as much as not getting dessert. 12:57 pm.

Hinata: :) Happy to help. 1:00 pm.

"I'm making dinner for Hinata tonight." Sasuke finally admitted to Naruto on their Saturday morning run.

"What?" Naruto asked in surprise.

Sasuke making dinner was something surprising. But when Sasuke had asked what she wanted to do on Saturday, her cute and simple text of 'Hmmm… make me dinner?' had made him easily agree.

"What's so special about this chick?"

"She, she bought me a sandwich." Sasuke had said for the hundredth time.

"Oh my god." Naruto huffed. "Just marry her already then."

Sasuke elbowed him in the stomach.

"Oof." Naruto paused in his running and Sasuke slowed as well.

"I'm just saying dude. It's a fucking sandwich."

Naruto didn't understand.

Sasuke had always had women fawning over him. Since they were young. But it had always been superficial. They had liked the way he looked or the way he acted, which he didn't understand because even Sasuke was aware that his manners were lacking. But none of them, he felt, actually cared about him personally.

Beside Sakura, but even most of her love had been superficial and shallow. Their relationship had been mostly built onto a weak, friendship bridge that Naruto had cultivated.

But something as simple has ordering a $8 lunch that she had delivered to his work. Something as simple as her remembering what he had said about lunch. Something as simple as adding tomato to grilled cheese because she knew he liked them.

Sasuke wasn't a warm fuzzy feeling guy.

But there was definitely something pounding in his heart. And it wasn't from the run.

Dinner had not gone how Sasuke was expecting.

"We've been friends for almost thirty years!" Naruto yelled.

Namely, Naruto was still here.

"Tch. I didn't accept your friendship until we were seniors." Sasuke sidestepped Naruto, carrying two plates to the table where Hinata was sitting.

Hinata giggled, looking down at the table. Always adorably bashful.

"Our mothers knew each other before we were even born. I've literally known you my entire life." Naruto continued.

"That doesn't make us friends." Sasuke handed Hinata her place and sat down next to her. "Don't touch the food."

Naruto was filling himself a plate anyways.

"So, Hinata, did this bastard invite you to Drunk-Spending?" Naruto sat down opposite of Hinata on Sasuke's right.

"Um," Hinata twirled her fork in her spaghetti. "What?"

Sasuke took a long gulp of wine. If Naruto was staying, he was going to need it.

"Drunks-Spending."

Hinata looked puzzled at Naruto. "I don't know that is..."

"After we have Thanksgiving, we go to the bar and drink until those really early Black Friday sales open and then we go buy shit." Naruto explain it like an excited child. "Drunk-Spending."

"So, you just renamed Black Friday?"

Naruto frowned at Hinata. "...yes."

She smiled. "Sounds like fun."

Sasuke hadn't wanted to invite Hinata to Drunks-Spending. Sakura would be there…

Naruto knew it too.

Later, after Hinata had left, Sasuke had confronted Naruto about it.

"Why the fuck are you inviting Hinata to that?"

"I thought she was special?" Naruto leered. "She bought you a sandwich and now she's your soulmate."

Sasuke glared at his friend. "Sakura will be there."

Naruto would only leer more and more. "I thought you and Sakura weren't a thing anymore."

"That's the point you fucking idiot." Sasuke hissed. "Sakura is Sakura. And I haven't even kissed Hinata yet, she's not ready for Sakura. Or Ino."

"You haven't kissed her yet?" Naruto asked.

The hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck stood on end, and he knew this conversation was not going to go in any direction that he wanted. Specifically the direction of not having it at all.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you can't even get a little kiss."

So Sasuke tried to ignore him.

"What are you, the fourty year old virgin?"

Not that Naruto had ever let that stop him before.

"You're going to friend zone yourself." Naruto laughed.

Sasuke froze, finally looking over. "Hn?"

"Yeah, bastard. If you keep hanging out with her and don't make any moves, then you just end up as… buddies."

Buddies? Sasuke did not have buddies in mind with Hinata. You did not do buddies with an ass like that. And her shy, blushing smiles. The way she looks away when she giggles.

Fuck being buddies.

"Tch." Sasuke sneered.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever man. I'm just saying. Kiss that chick."

"Whatever loser. You get the dishes."

Naruto leaned back into his chair, groaning.


	7. Now Which Ones Gay?

Straw Saga 7

Now Which Ones Gay?

Sasuke had driven upstate to his family's home for Thanksgiving dinner.

Most years, when they were still in school, Naruto and Sakura would come up with him. But Naruto had work, and Sasuke had no clue what Sakura was doing. She could've drove herself, flew or even just stayed home.

That was his mother's first question when he had arrived. He was in the kitchen with her, deciding on helping his mom since he hadn't seen for awhile. But it was also to avoid Shisui and Obito, who had also brought Kakashi, his asshole TA he had in high school. Not to mention that his brother had five sons.

"We're not together anymore mom." Sasuke had tried to explain.

Mikoto had just shook her head. "You two." She huffed. "Almost thirty years old. When are you guys going to get your act together and get married?"

Never, hopefully. If Sasuke had anything to say about it.

"We broke up in August." He decided to say instead.

If only to show how long it's been. To insinuate the seriousness of the breakup.

"You two." Mikoto said again. "When are you gonna cut it out."

Sasuke tried not to get a tone with his poor mom. "We did."

He tried not to hold it against his mom. Both his parents had started dating in high school and married the summer after. Itachi and Izumi had been together since middle school. Sasuke and Sakura's story would've fit in perfectly with everyone else's. Even Obito and Rin's.

Never mind that Sasuke couldn't even tolerate Sakura as children, and only became friends with her at the behest of Naruto. Even their senior year, Sasuke and Sakura could never have a regular relationship. They had basically been getting together and breaking up and meeting random people in between for the last ten years.

Though he had his most of that information from his mother. Which was why she was still in favor of the unholy union.

"Grab the sweet potatoes please Sasu." His mother cooed.

Sasuke pouted. "I hate sweet potatoes."

She shushed him and pushed him out to the table.

"Uncle Sasuke."

An awkward eleven year old popped up next to Sasuke, almost making him drop the disgusting 'potato' dish. This eleven year old happen to be Itachi's second son, who looked creepily like Sasuke.

Even though the kid had startled him, Sasuke looked back at him blankly. "Izuna."

"Can I sit next to you?" He asked.

Sasuke paused for a moment. He looked around at the remnants of people that made up his family, he decided that Izuna would do fine. He was quiet enough, and there was no children's table so one of Itachi's brats was bound to end up next to him.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed.

Izuna nods in return.

Dinner was to be expected. It started off relatively fine until Obito brought up politics and Itachi's oldest, eccentric son, Madara, named after some old, long dead uncle, started agree with a couple of the radical ideas that were being proposed. Politics was a mood killer anyways.

Then they asked Kakashi a plethora of personal questions, him being the most interesting because he wasn't an Uchiha they could bother any old time.

Next came talking about all it Itachi's son's school bullshit that Sasuke had immediately tuned out.

"So how are you and Sakura?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "We're not together."

"I know." Sasuke thought he heard Kakashi mumbled at the end of the table.

"Oh." Itachi muttered dryly.

Sasuke bristled, realizing that every adult, and possibly Madara, was thinking the same thing about his breakup. And Sasuke didn't appreciate it.

"I'm actually seeing someone else."

Sasuke wasn't planning on telling his family about Hinata. He didn't really know what they were. Currently, she wa just a girl he had taken on a few dates. Naruto was right, he hadn't even kissed her yet. In fact, he had even forget to text her 'Happy Thanksgiving' this morning.

But he had to make a point that Sakura and him weren't just on a break.

"Nobody wants to hear about your big city hook up Sasu." His mother shushed.

"Hook ups?" One of Itachi's little sons asked.

"We don't do those honey." Izumi patted the boys head.

Shisui snorted. "You waited for Izumi, right?" He asked, suddenly.

Mikoto crushed her fork into her plate a little too hard. Izumi herself was looking wildly around at her boys, hoping they hadn't heard, which they had of course. Itachi was trying to look unphased but his mouth was tight and his cheeks were reddening. Fugaku was completely unaffected. Obito was almost trying to over a laugh and Rin and Kakashi were just looking away, trying to pretend that they were at a normal, regular thanksgiving.

"Then I definitely got laid before you." Sasuke finished.

Shisui laughed and Sasuke hid his growing smirk.

"Boys." Mikoto pleaded.

"Your first kiss was with Naruto." Itachi tried to use a condescending voice.

Sasuke knew that Itachi was baiting him, trying to get him defensive about his accidental kiss with Naruto in the 6th grade. But Sasuke knew better then that.

"You're right, I probably had that before you did too." He said flippantly.

Shisui was laughing so hard Sasuke thought he would pass out in his plate.

"You… kissed a boy?" Madara asked, tossing his hair over his shoulder.

Izumi and Mikoto were now openly glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke briefly pondered on Madara's fabulous hair and wondered how interested in kissing boys he actually was.

But it was Izuna who surprised him the most. "It's okay to kiss boys?"

Sasuke briefly wondered if he had ruined Thanksgiving, and if it meant that he could leave early. Shisui was now blue in the face and Mikoto was looking around frantically at everyone, as if looking for any way to salvage this dinner. Sasuke had just wanted to poke fun at Itachi and make the conversation about something that didn't want to make him drown in his gravy.

Izumi quickly told her boys that they could kiss whoever they wanted, but only when they grew much older, and it was rude to talk about it at dinner. She said the last past, glaring at Sasuke and Shisui.

The rest of the dinner was filled with the same awkward chit chat.

Dessert came around and Sasuke thought about Hinata. He wondered how many pieces of pie she would have and if she like apple or pumpkin better. She had a weird, cinnamon theme going on with her and her treat preferences.

"So, you're seeing someone new." Itachi asked.

He had eaten his fair share of pie.

Sasuke nodded. "It's not serious." He tried to supply.

Itachi gave him a knowing look. Sasuke wouldn't have mentioned it at Thanksgiving dinner in front of everyone if that was true.

"Yet." He admitted.

"Yet." Itachi agreed. "Maybe we'll see her at Christmas."

Sasuke sincerely doubted it. He had only known the girl less than a month, and even by Christmas seemed too soon to bring someone to meet their family.

So Sasuke said nothing.

They sat around for awhile longer until Kushina and Minato showed up, Naruto's mother already seemed drunk, bringing in a bottle of some kind of wine for his mother.

"See you at Christmas, brother."

Itachi looked ruefully at Sasuke's departure. Kushina was a handful sober, and Sasuke used the two hour drive as his greatest excuse. Their mother barely pretending to be sad now that her best friend had arrived.

The drive back was long and tedious, but by the time Sasuke had arrived back at his apartment, Naruto was home from work. Sasuke handed him a container of leftovers his mother had albeit commanded that he take and because it was a holiday, Sasuke permitted Naruto to eat on the couch.

"I talked to Sakura already." The blonde spoke through a mouth of mashed potatoes. "Told her that you were bringing someone."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm sure that went great."

They were pretending to watch the old footage of the parade that had happened that morning, but as always, the TV had become background noise.

Naruto smiled sheepishly at him. "Definitely didn't." He laughed. "But between all of us, we can keep her occupied enough. I don't think she'd do anything to ruin the night."

Sasuke ground his teeth, he did have an aloof exterior to uphold.

"This is all your doing anyways, you fucking idiot." Sasuke huffed.

Naruto waved him away. "'Thanks you's' accepted."

"Tch."

"You and I both know that you wouldn't have brought her around. And you need to get her in the group if you're as serious about her as you think you are." Naruto defened.

"You finally believe that I like her?" Sasuke asked, rather annoyed.

"Okay in my defense, you mess around with a lot of girls." Naruto narrowly missed a weak punch thrown across the couch. "Admittedly Hinata doesn't look like any girl that you've fucked around with."

Sasuke said nothing but the look he was sending Naruto had him reeling.

"Not that it's a bad thing! She's adorable. Like a cuddly teddy bear. A sexy, cuddly teddy. I'd like to see her in a teddy…"

"I'll fucking kill you."

"Sorry, I got distracted for a second. Anyways… what was I saying?" The blonde asked.

"That you're a loser." Sasuke sneered.

"Yeah that, hey! Anyways, you're serious about Hinata, yes? Then it makes sense to bring her to Drunks Spending." Naruto was using his hands to draw the correlation of his thought process.

Sasuke was just amazed that the dolt had a thought to process.

"I didn't just invite her to watch Sakura implode." Naruto promised.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"It'll be hilarious if it happens though." He finally admitted.

Sasuke's anger flared for a second but he finally agreed. If the roles were reversed, Sasuke would love nothing more for Sakura to tare Naruto's head off.

They both just leaned back into the couch.

"We'll see how it goes." Naruto finally said.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed.


	8. Meet Cute Socks

Straw Saga 8

Meet Cute Socks

Sasuke was happy to see Hinata when she showed up at his apartment. She was wearing a fancier sweater than usual, grey with sequins and pearls, and tight black leggings. That was one thing he was definitely thankful for.

"You look nice." Sasuke commented, almost offhandedly, like he was talking about the weather.

She smiled and he noticed her cheeks didn't turn as pink as normal. He appraised her face for a moment and noticed that she wore more makeup than usual, more than he even saw on her the day he visited her work. More than she wore on their dates.

"Thank you. It was a gift from my step-mom." Hinata smiled.

Sasuke paused, not realizing that Hinata's parents weren't together. An uncomfortable, simmering feeling settled in his stomach, and he tried to hold down a grimace. He didn't know very much about her still. As much as he should. No, he had barely known her a month and it was truthfully only on weekends anyways. It wasn't his fault that he didn't know every single detail about her.

But… he wanted to.

Sasuke kicked Naruto in the shins, making him scoot over to one of the love seats. Hinata was about to sit down, but it was too close to where Naruto was sitting so Sasuke lightly yanked back her arm and sat down between them, pulling her into the couch against him. She didn't seem to mind, settling down flush to his side.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Naruto asked.

She smiled and nodded, snuggling against Sasuke lightly. "I made a list in case I drink too much and forget what I was going to buy."

Naruto snorted. "That's the best part."

"Are you guys watching the parade?" She asked.

They hadn't really been, but Sasuke nodded. Naruto had gotten on his phone but also absently agreed.

"I watched it from my dad's house." Hinata smiled.

Naruto and Sasuke both perked up at that.

"He lives down financial." She explained, looking a little abashed but it was hard to tell without her blush.

Naruto's mouth dropped open. Sasuke hadn't known about that either. He knew that she was a Hyuga, and the Hyuga were ridiculously rich. But, that rich?

"Dude, that's dope." Sasuke didn't know if Naruto was talking to Hinata or himself, but either way, he ignored him.

Hinata looked a little uncomfortable after divulging the information so Sasuke decided not to ask her. Plus he didn't really want to have those types of conversations in front of Naruto anyways.

"Oh hey, I didn't let Sasuke throw your turkey away." Naruto smirked over at them. "I saved him and named him Gobbles."

He gestured over to the kitchen table with a colorful, paper turkey. Last weekend, Hinata had come over on Saturday and asked Sasuke to help cut out her classes Thanksgiving craft. She had made one of the paper turkeys and left it, teasing Sasuke that he didn't decorate his apartment.

"You can throw it away now." Hinata giggled. "I have to start sneaking over my Christmas decorations."

"I saved Gobbles." Naruto defended. "I shan't allow him to be throw out. He's the apartments pardoned turkey."

"Shan't?" Sasuke frowned.

Hinata giggled.

"And you should know, Sasuke doesn't decorate for Christmas."

Naruto said it so carelessly, almost with no other thought. But his sneaky little hidden smile told Sasuke that he knew exactly what he had done.

Hinata leaned away from Sasuke, looking up at his face. Her eyes were widened and her jaw dropped, leaving her mouth open in question. Letting a small, melodramatic gasp out.

Sasuke had never wanted to kiss her more.

"Tch."

He definitely wasn't planning on kissing her in front of Naruto.

His fingers curled back around her shoulder, pulling her back next to him, but she continued to look up at him.

"You're the Grinch." She pouted.

Naruto burst into laughter, tears in his eyes, agreeing with Hinata.

"Hn." Sasuke leaned back into the couch, pretending to ignore them.

They finished watching the rerun of the parade and ended up watching the news until it got late enough to walk to the bar.

Introducing Hinata to his friends was something that Sasuke had been dreading since Naruto had brought up Drunks Spending in front of her.

But as they arrived, he noticed Sakura wasn't there yet and that lessened the anxiety.

It was relatively easy to introduce Hinata and Shikamaru, apparently she already knew him in some round about way. Shikamaru worked with the husband of a women Hinata worked with. So there was just Temari, his wife, and Choji. All easy and agreeable.

Naruto has tried to order Sasuke shots, but he put his foot down. They would have to be at the bar for three hours. He had no desire to get blacked out drunk, thinking of how terrible Halloween had been.

"You're drinking gin?" Hinata asked, trying to hide her surprise.

Sasuke just looked at her and glanced down to her glass of white wine. She blushed, tucking some loosely curled hair behind her ear.

The group stood for a while, just talking until someone had suggested darts. It felt like the more grown up version of beer pong to Sasuke, and he hated games anyways. But Hinata was surprisingly good.

"It's the eyes." Temari joked after Hinata's second win.

After both girls dominated the game, Choji and Naruto slunk back to the bar, ordering nachos. Sasuke had followed back to get another gin.

"See, you grumpy bastard. It's fine." Naruto spoke through a mouth of nacho cheese.

They were both looking over to see Hinata getting along fabulously well with Temari and Shikamaru. She did seem to be having a good time.

Choji nodded. "She seems really nice." He offered.

She was, Sasuke wanted to say. But instead he just rolled his eyes at Naruto. "Sakura and Ino aren't even here yet."

Choji grimaced and laughed. "He's got a point."

Naruto waved him away with his usual show of arrogance. Sasuke wanted to have the same confidence. Yes, he was happy that Hinata was fine right now.

Truthfully, Sasuke would've been fine if they didn't like her. His friendship with them was always rather forced by Naruto and Sakura, though he didn't mind them all that much. But he was more dreading how Hinata would take to Sakura and Ino by extension.

He was starting to realize how much he liked Hinata, which was making him more and more concerned about how Hinata was going to fare against the two women. He didn't want her opinion of him sullied by association.

"Speak of the bitch." Naruto mumbled, causing Choji to laugh/choke on some nachos.

At least that's the way he would want to go.

Ino has just barged into the bar, tugging on a quazi doppelgänger of Sasuke himself. His eye twitched at the mere thought of Ino trying to find his look alike. And he drunkenly thought of Ino harassing his poor nephew Izuna and shook it off.

"Hey, guys, I hope you don't mind that I brought someone." Ino was practically hanging off of the guys arm.

"Oh," Naruto shove another nacho in his mouth. "Shit."

Sasuke wanted to punch him in the face. He wanted to watch the lights go out. He wanted him to hit the bar floor. 'Happy Thanksgiving motherfucker'.

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, laughing nervously. "Don't worry, she's not even here yet."

"Sorry I'm late."

Color drained out of Naruto's face. "I fucked up."

Finally, the admission of guilt.

Sasuke's jaw was clenched, teeth grating together. "Hn." It was all too easy to agree.

Ino has been an integral part of keeping Sakura occupied. Integral meaning, about the whole plan that Sasuke had come up with. There was really no back up plan.

"Fine." Naruto stood tall and proud, like he was ready to march off to war. "I'll do it."

Huh? That would work. Sasuke shrugged, clinking his glass of gin against Naruto's relaxed beer.

"Sasuke."

He almost dropped the gin.

Sakura had made her way over to where Sasuke and Naruto were standing. Her jacket was off and she was wearing a tight, red long sleeve bodycon dress.

She said his name is the breathless way she always did, like she was surprised to see him after spotting him and walking right over to stand in front of him.

"Can we talk, please?"

Instead of looking at her pink bob, heavily made up green eyes and her pouty lips she had made red, which he thought was a little too much considering the dress. He was looking over her, at Hinata who had just barely lost to Temari. He could see her in slow motion, her smiling and giving Temari a small high five and turning to look for him.

"Not tonight." He pushed off the bar, not waiting for Sakura's imminent disagreement, and headed straight towards Hinata, leaving Naruto to distract her.

"Lost?"

She nodded in a fake pout.

"Finally." Temari yelled. " Those eyes aren't just for looks."

Hinata giggled a little at the tease.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke really didn't want to explain and thought about just ignoring him for a second, but Hinata was a kinder person.

"Oh, well -"

"Ohmigod!" Ino's shrill yell had startled the small group next to the dart board.

She was throwing back a shot of vodka with Naruto, the poor guy next to her looking down, disgusted. She then wrapped her arm around his and hauled him over to where they were standing.

"If you guys are telling a 'meetcute', I definitely need to hear it. And then I need to tell you me and Sai's."

"Sai and mine." Shikamaru corrected, sounding exhausted.

"What is a 'meetcute'?" Choji asked, following her over.

"An adorable meeting!" She snapped.

"We met off Tinder." New Guy Sai cut in.

Choji burst into laughter as Ino tried to shush her date.

"Whatever! Anyways, we have the leave by three to get in line for that store on 23rd. They have this amazing sale on socks."

"Socks, Ino?" Sasuke jaw clenched again hearing Sakura come up to the group, Naruto trailing behind, already doing a shitty job of what he had promised.

"The sale is amazing." Ino flipped her blonde ponytail. "So…"

Her blue eyes rounded on Hinata and Sasuke's stomach dropped for a moment. "Do tell."

"Oh, um, well, I met Sasuke Halloween morning getting pancakes." She bit her lip.

Sasuke could tell that she was nervous in front of the whole group, just staring at her. She was pretty shy.

"Then he helped me toast pumpkin seeds for my class."

He was eternally grateful that she left out some key details to the entire thing.

"Wait," Ino frowned. "Sasuke asked you out and then helped you with something?"

Hinata glance over at Sasuke, partially confused and then nodded the affirmative.

"But," Ino trailed off.

"Sasuke's an asshole." Temari snickered next to Shikamaru.

Sasuke was about a hundred percent sure that Hinata was aware of that. Seeing how the part she was leaving out of their meeting was his whole asshole debacle of shouting at her for the straw.

"Wait, did you say Halloween?" Sakura asked.

It was going to shit and there was nothing Sasuke could do besides sit back and watch the Titanic sink in front of him. His fledgling, fragile, baby bird of a relationship would never take flight and only crash and die right in front of him in some random Konoha bar and 12:30 am the day after Thanksgiving.

"Hey darts champion!" Naruto shouted randomly, pointing at Hinata. "I challenge you! I will defeat you! You better believe it!"

Naruto grabbed Hinata's arm, pulling her off Sasuke's side and back to the direction of the dart board.

Temari huffed. "I beat her, I'm the damn champion."

Shikamaru, being drug by Temari after Naruto and Hinata, rubbed the back of his head. "I haven't drank enough for you to start yelling 'believe it' already."

"Shots!" Ino yelled, pulling Sakura and Sai back the the bar with her.

Sasuke stood in the same spot for a second, alone, feeling like he had just somehow avoided a head on collision. He drained the rest of his glass right there and then. He was going to need to be a lot more drunk to survive the evening if this was how it was going to go.

Luckily for him, Ino felt a similar way.

Very slowly throughout the night, decided to start pushing shots onto people. Much like Naruto usually did.

Sasuke was slowly starting to notice that Hinata didn't drink very much. She had refused almost all of Ino's shots besides three of them, and only drank the one glass of wine she had ordered when they had first arrived. Even with all that effort, she still seemed very drunk. Her makeup had worn a little, probably just by the length of time she had been wearing it, and Sasuke could now see her rosy cheeks and nose.

She had also started hiccuping, which Naruto had somehow found hilarious and ended up cackling every time it interrupted one of her sentences.

She was a very adorable lightweight.

It was around 2:50 am when everyone had crowded back around the bar. Sasuke had successfully kept Sakura away from them with minimal help from Naruto and he could almost breathe easy.

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.

"The bathroom."

"I'll come too." Shikamaru stood up to follow him out.

"Aww look, like two hetero normative women." Temari cooed at their backs.

She was swiftly ignored.

Going to the bathroom had been fairly uneventful. Returning had been the kicker.

He had encountered Drunk Sakura right after exciting, and she had latched onto his arm and stopped him from stepping around.

"Will you please talk to me?" She sounded like she was already close to tears.

"What, Sakura?" He hissed, trying to yank his arm away.

Had she followed him and waited just for this?

"Don't be like that! About me and you."

"You and I." Shikamaru mumbled, walking around both of them and back to the bar.

Sasuke would've chewed off the arm to follow after. He had no desire to put up with Sakura. He had abandoned Drunk Hinata with Naruto and Ino and he was not hopeful about those outcomes.

"You just brought some other random girl here, to parade her around in front of our friends. Just to hurt me?" Her fingernails dug in like a scared cat.

"We broke up in August, Sakura." He hissed, grabbing a hold of her wrist to pry off her hands.

"We hooked up last month!"

"Shh." Sasuke hissed, looking around to see if anyone was even around to hear her. "No we didn't. Whatever happened Halloween night, I was too drunk to remember. That was not us making up. We aren't together. I'm seeing someone else."

"Hinata?" Sakura asked, accusatorial.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I thought that was pretty fucking obvious."

He had finally managed to yank his arm out of her grasp and stalk back to the group.

He half expected the bar to be a chaotic war zone, to reflect his beating heart and internal feelings from his face off with Sakura. But Hinata was sitting at the bar, calmly looking at something on Naruto's phone and her look of drunk peace was enough to relax him.

Why had Sasuke doubted his friends?

"Now here's his pictures at the 8th Grade dance." He heard Naruto slurr.

Oh, that's why.

"And yes," Naruto continued, leaning seriously towards Hinata to emphasize. "That a romper."

"Fucking loser." Sasuke's arm encircled Hinata's waist, pulling her back from the bar, glaring over her head at Naruto's stupid face.

She slunk against his chest and in Sasuke's defense he was drunk, but she felt exceptionally cozy. He wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and take a nap with her.

He froze.

Yes, he was definitely drunk.

He watched Sakura rejoin the group, looking slightly upset, but managing to hide it. Thankfully.

"Maybe we should go." Sasuke shifted Hinata more to arms length.

Sakura checked her phone and audibly gasped. "Oh my god, Ino!" She yelled across the bar.

Ino slammed down another shot, leaning precariously close onto Temari, who had also just downed another shot but was keeping her composure.

"Ssssssocks." Ino slurred.

Hinata was already sliding on her jacket, though she was having a hard time with her zipper.

"Where's your list?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata's cheeks had turned pink permanently a few drinks ago, but she looked down, eyelashes batting in embarrassment anyways.

"I" She hiccuped. "Lost it." She bit her lip.

Naruto laughed again.

"What, when?" Sasuke asked.

"Unknown." Hinata blinked up at him.

He resisted the urge to smile down at her. Her bangs brushing her thick black eyelashes. Her eyes were wide and innocent, a little shiny, probably from the drinking. Even with her cheeks flushed, the rest of her skin was even and pale.

"Unknown?" He asked, trying very hard not to laugh.

"I dunno when I lost it." She finally admitted, giving up on her zipper with another hiccup.

Smirking instead, and reaching down to the hem of her coat, he expertly fitted the zipper together and zipped her up to her chin.

"What are you going to get then?"

If Hinata wasn't accompanying the group, Sasuke probably just would've gone home to sleep. The only reason he was accompanying them was because of Hinata.

"Socks, probably." She held in a giggle, leaning into his coat.

Sasuke snorted. "Socks for Christmas, huh?"

"Shh," She held a finger to her mouth. "It's a secret."

"Yeah, yeah." Sasuke rolled his eyes, and this time he couldn't hold back his real smile.

So instead of trying to, he grabbed Hinata's hand off of his coat, threaded it with his own and pulled her along with him.

Temari and Shikamaru seemed to be the most fine, already to go, with Shikamaru giving Sasuke a lazy smirk. Sasuke managed to get his proper face back in order and glare at him. Choji was basically holding Ino up by the waist, dragging her out of the bar and she was clutching all of her shopping ads in tight fingers.

Sasuke hadn't noticed before, but Naruto had turned Sakura away from Hinata and himself and was monopolizing her attention, pointing to one of the plaques or pictures on the bar wall.

Sasuke had to remember that Naruto was indeed a good wing man. He wasn't usually sentimental, but it had been Thanksgiving after all. Sasuke wondered what kind of present Naruto deserved for Christmas.

Socks, perhaps.

"Let's go!" Ino was snapped.

Sasuke wondered if any store was actually going to let them in or not.

When they finally got outside, he was hit with cold. Hinata shifted closer to him. He squeezed her fingers tighter and followed the group.

He wasn't one for PDA, but he was a little drunk and Naruto had been right. Hinata exuded cuddliness. She practically begged to be held close or nuzzled even.

Sasuke tried to clear his head. And they continued on. It was probably a good idea that they were walking. All of them were drunk, with Temari clearly handling it the best. Sasuke would almost not even notice if it weren't for how loud her voice got. Shikamaru looked like he could pass out at any moment but that wasn't anything new. Choji, who was loudly voicing his hunger, was still helping to hold Ino up, who was the most inebriated and Sasuke had just now noticed that Sai seemed to have ditched her. Naruto, though incredibly drunk, was still walking next to Sakura

"I actually really liked all of those buckles." Hinata said randomly.

Sasuke glanced down at her, clutching his hand, clearly confused.

"Hn?"

"The hair wasn't that bad either." She was smirking at him.

Sasuke stared down at her, for a second, trying to ignore her pretty face so he could actually figure out what the fuck she was talking about.

Oh.

Those damn 8th grade pictures.

He rolled his eyes and turned back to watch the group get into line at the department store.

Instead of joining his friends in line, he practically shoved Hinata into the nearest adjoining alleyway. She was drunk, so her stumble almost took her down to the ground, but Sasuke held tightly to her hand, steadying her.

"Are you going to mug me?" She blinked. "Is this be -" Hiccup. "Cause I giggled about your hair?"

Sasuke let go of her hand and slid his one up her arm, ghosting over her stupid, frumpy jacket and curled his fingers around her shoulder, catching some of her hair in his grip. The other hand came up to her face, cradling her blushing cheek. Her eyes opened wide in surprise after a moment, and Sasuke paused to look into them. Appreciating them. She had beautiful eyes. But in the next second, his lips were on hers.

He meant for it to be a quick kiss. This was their first kiss after all, and he didn't know her well enough to guess her reaction. He didn't need to guess much longer though. Hinata's hands slid up onto the front of his own coat and gripped it, pulling them tighter together, flush against each other. Sasuke cursed her stupid coat again, wishing he could've felt her body against his. She opened her mouth to him, to Sasuke pleasant surprise, deepening the kiss.

Her lips were soft, and she kissed just like her personality; shy, sweet and playful. She tasted unfortunately like alcohol and smelled like the bar. Neither of those things he could hold against her. He was probably the same way. But the further the kiss went, the more he could taste of her. The taste of kissing a new person and it tasted like cinnamon chapstick and twitterpation. He shifted his hand on her shoulder to curl around her back, bringing her higher up and closer to him, in the process shifting her hair. Underneath the nasty smell of the city, the dirty alley way to be more specific, and the lingering stench of the bar, he could also smell what had to be a combination of perfume, shampoo and just her, specifically.

"Hey guys -"

Hearing Naruto broke Sasuke out of his trance and he righted himself, not realizing how far he had to bend over to kiss her. He glanced over his shoulder to glare.

Naruto put his hands up in defense. "Sorry." He started backing up where he came. "Don't be mad! I thought you were getting mugged."

Hinata giggled, pressing her face into Sasuke's coat. Probably to hide from his gaze for a moment. He was always forgetting that she was shy.

"Me too." Sasuke could hear the smile in her voice.

"Tch." Keeping his arm around her back, he turned to follow where Naruto had went.

"Come on, those socks won't buy themselves." He sighed.

She giggled, her hand coming up to stifle it. Sasuke wanted to cover his smile too.


	9. Pineapple Belongs On Christmas Movies an

Straw Saga 9

Pineapple Belongs On Christmas Movies and Chill

Sasuke was sitting outside on a bench with Hinata, smashed together for warmth. The longer they were sitting, the drunker they were becoming, as their bodies metabolized the alcohol.

She had called her roommate, Tenten to come get her, since she lived across town and was clearly intoxicated. Sasuke was uncomfortable just shoving her in an Uber and sending her on her way. And apparently they had been out Black Friday shopping as well.

The streets were packed with shoppers, but it was just them on the bench, he hand an arm, lazily thrown across the back of the bench and she had curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. They were sitting in relative silence, beside the bustle of the city, and her breath had evened out. He didn't know if it was because she was drunk, or if she had fallen asleep but, he was tipsy and didn't mind either way.

Hinata's phone vibrated and and answered it on the first ring, putting it on speaker. "Yeah?"

"Where are you?" A female, semi familiar voice asked.

Hinata groaned, sleepily. "I told you, I'm on bench outside -"

"I see you. Never mind." She spoke through the phone at the same time a louder male voice was yelling, "Hinata!" Which could be heard through the phone and a little to the left, down the sidewalk.

The girl, who looked like the Double Buns that had accompanied Hinata on Halloween, the first day Sasuke had seen her. The day of the Straw incident. Sasuke knew now that it was also her roommate and one of her best friends. Her hair was down how though, and her face looked to be void of any makeup.

Hinata raises a lazy hand in greeting.

"How much did you drink?" Tenten asked, appraising her friend.

"The blonde is a pusher." Hinata slurred, not really explaining.

But Sasuke understood.

He snorted though, not knowing if she was talking about Ino or Naruto, since both was true.

"How are you not crying?" The man accompanying them asked.

"Lee!" Tenten hissed, glancing over at Sasuke quickly.

He could feel Hinata shrug against him but said nothing.

His interest were peaked but he decided to save this information for a later date.

"Can we get cinnamon rolls?" Hinata asked instead.

"Sure!" The guy, Lee, agreed enthusiastically.

"No, lets just go home and have leftovers." Tenten countered.

"But… I don't want leftovers - leftovers." Hinata pouted.

"Leftovers - leftovers?" Sasuke had to cut in.

Hinata was now too drunk to blush and just looked up at Sasuke like he was stupid. Like 'How the fuck can you not understand leftovers - leftovers, idiot Uchiha.'

"Uh, yeah, you have to say it for every time you've eaten it." Tenten supplemented for Hinata's lack of explanation, but Sasuke was still looking at her blankly.

Tenten looked away. "Never mind. Hina, let's go."

Hinata pouted, leaning in closer to Sasuke. "I'm very tired."

"Yeah, that's the point. You can go to bed at home." Tenten reached down, taking Hinata's bag from her. "Hina, did you only buy fuzzy socks?"

Sasuke held down his smirk as Hinata held her head in her hands and groaned.

Tenten was getting exasperated. It was too early/late for this, he knew. But it was amusing. He especially enjoyed Hinata's drunken reluctance to leave him.

It was probably just the infatuation of dating someone new, but he really did think that everything Hinata did was cute.

"Do you want Lee to give you a piggyback ride?" Tenten sounded like she was trying to coax Hinata like a child with candy.

It worked.

Her head popped up a little. "Lee-Lee?" She asked.

Lee beamed, jumping about a foot into the air. "Yes! Hop on Hinata!"

Sucking in a deep breath, Hinata grabbed one of Tenten's out stretched hands and shakily stood up. Lee had turned her back to Hinata and leaned down slightly, allowing for Hinata to try and climb up. Instead, Hinata had leaned on him and wrapped her arms loosely around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder blades and closing her eyes.

"Um, Hinata?" Lee asked awkwardly.

"Jesus fucking Christ Hinata, get it together." Tenten grabbed her by the shoulders and shook Hinata for a moment.

She frowned opening her eyes, her lips coming out into a pout.

"Don't start crying." Tenten warned. "Say goodbye and lets go."

Hinata's stood up, grabbed the end of her baggy coat like a dress and curtsied. "Sssasuke."

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to laugh at her. "Hn." He hummed.

She tried to get onto Lee's back again, this time trying a bigger jump and Tenten trying to push her further up the guys back. Lee himself had to grab a hold of her legs and hike her up jostling Hinata so much her arms almost let go of their perch around his neck.

She leaned her head against his neck, closing her eyes again. "I'm going to puke." The words fell out of her mouth, almost like a moan, eyes half lidded.

Lee's bright eyes and smile that had been permanently on his face since they had arrived, dropped considerably but didn't fade. "Please don't?"

Tenten laughed and waved goodbye to Sasuke.

He watched them walk away, mainly at Hinata's ass sticking out. Besides admiring the view, there was a pang in his chest, watching Hinata cling to Lee. Maybe he was just annoyed that she was leaving in general.

"Sas'Kay!" Naruto yelled from across the street.

Sasuke looked away from Hinata's retreating ass and saw a drunk Naruto holding up an unconscious Ino.

Groaning, he decided it was time to head home.

Around noon the next morning, he was awoken by Ino, screeching at Naruto, asking why they were in bed together. Naruto was trying to explain that everyone had ditched them, and they brought her back to their apartment, swearing over and over again that they didn't have sex. Sasuke continued to lay in bed, ignoring them. He could've gone out to help explain, but he decided against it.

Instead, he texted Hinata.

Sasuke: How'd you sleep? 12:07 pm.

Realizing he wouldn't be going back to bed, and six hours was enough sleep, he decided to start working on some of his cases he had brought home on Wednesday.

It was almost three hours later when she had texted back, ignoring his question altogether.

Hinata: I curtsied last night. 3:14pm

Sasuke almost laughed, thinking about how red Hinata's face would be, reliving her embarrassment. Would she scrunching her nose up too?

Sasuke: You did. 3:15pm

Hinata: I got a lot of socks. 3:18pm

Sasuke: You did. 3:19pm

He knew that he would usually be working all day. That's what Sasuke did. But...

Sasuke: What are you doing? 3:20pm

Hinata: Still tired, about to eat something. 3:22pm

Sasuke: What are you gonna eat? 3:23pm

He was literally counting the minutes between their texts, sitting around, waiting. He felt so pathetic.

Another ding had his scrambling to pick up his phone.

Hinata: Probably leftovers - leftovers - leftovers. 3:45pm.

Sasuke smiled to himself, resting his head back against the headboard. His laptop laid out on his legs, multiple case files pulled up, waiting to be reviewed.

Sasuke: Want to have something besides that? 3:46pm.

The files could wait.

"Why did you order a salad?" Hinata asked.

They were at a sandwich place, almost in between either of their apartments. Hinata was wearing leggings, which Sasuke was growing more accustomed to very day, a hoodie underneath a puffy, nano vest and winter boots. The change from her ugly jacket was nice, but she kept the lavender scarf, currently discarded in the seat next to her.

"I didn't go running this morning."

Hinata froze again, one of her French fries halfway to her mouth. "Do you go running every morning?"

Sasuke shrugged, popping a cherry tomato in his mouth.

"Every single morning?" She asked, eyes widening even more.

"Not this morning."

Hinata set down her fry.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, mostly in playfulness. "Am I going to have to buy you dessert again so you'll continue speaking to me?"

Hinata frowned, her lips pouting adorably. "No…" She spoke quietly.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, unconvinced. "Where is this cinnamon roll place you mentioned yesterday."

Hinata frowned, making Sasuke crack his stoic mask and his lips pulled ever so lightly into a smirk.

"No cinnamon rolls." Hinata pouted, seeming to have abandoned her French fries altogether.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, awaiting explanation.

"I can't eat cinnamon rolls while your eating salad and jogging." She hissed, leaning over to take a sip of Diet Coke. "I mean, you're already gorgeous. And you're a lawyer. Like…no." She finished weakly.

"Tch." Sasuke was willing himself to not be affected by what she had just said. Him, gorgeous. "I basically had to force you to go to dinner with me. If I can't bribe you with food, how will I keep you around?"

Hinata was now completely blushing, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Th-that's not true." She struggled to get out.

Sasuke shook his head, trying not to laugh at her. "You're very aloof. I'm not even sure you're interested."

Hinata was now just gaping at him. "Me?"

Sasuke nodded slightly, taking another bite of his salad.

"I'm aloof?" She asked him, giving him a rather pointed stare.

"At least you can admit it."

She gasped at him, but seeing his smile had her fall into giggles instead.

After that lunch, Hinata got into the habit of asking Sasuke how his morning run went after he sent his good morning text. And yes, every morning he sent her a good morning text. One morning, Hinata had texted and told him that she would send him lunch again. Sasuke had tried to decline, he never let Hinata pay for things, but she had calmly told him that if he insisted on bringing his own lunch then he would have two of them.

Truthfully, Sasuke was flattered that Hinata wanted to do something for him. It was incredibly kind and refreshing. Though this time he wasn't telling Naruto about it, lest he have any leverage to make fun of him again.

Scribbled on the note with his sandwich this time was 'You're the loof.'

Sasuke: The Loof? 12:30pm.

Hinata: I can't let you think I'm not interested. 12:31pm.

That Saturday, she was back over at his house, cutting out construction paper Christmas trees, preparing for her class. Sasuke had made her dinner again, her request.

And Naruto flipping through the Christmas movies.

"Check out these Hallmark movies they have out for Christmas!" Naruto yelled from the living room.

Hinata smiled, cutting out one of the last of her construction paper trees. "I love those movies." She giggled.

"Of course you do." Sasuke muttered, pretending to frown at her.

She giggled, standing up to throw her green scraps away.

"Hey they have a new one." Naruto shouted from the other room.

Hinata perked up, hearing this and sauntered out to the living room to leave Sasuke behind with the dishes. He grumbled, picking them up and putting them in the sink before following after her.

She was standing next to Naruto, closer than Sasuke would've enjoyed, but not too close to actually be indecent.

Naruto had clicked on the upcoming show to read the description. "'Christmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she's sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing prince who's poised to be king.'"

"That sounds mind numbingly idiotic." Sasuke huffed, coming to stand next to them.

Hinata was already turning to him, biting her fat bottom lip, eyes glittering.

Sasuke knew he would already be watching this movie.

"Oh no." All of Hinata's glee slipped off of her face into a tiny pout.

A pout that Sasuke found deliciously cute and problematic in the same breath.

"What?" He asked, searching her pretty eyes for the lost sparkle.

"It's only on Wednesday."

Sasuke "tch"ed, grabbing the remote from Naruto, pressing the record button. "Saturday."

She practically beamed at him.

"You guys should order pizza." Naruto cut in, reminding Sasuke that he was still there, grating on his nerves by simply occupying the same space as him, taking his attention away from her lovely eyes.

"We just ate, dumbass."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "On Saturday, bastard. Hinata, what's your favorite?"

Realizing that they were all standing in the living room, Sasuke was about to sit down when Hinata stepped closer to him, wrapping and arm around him, cozying into his chest. There was no way Sasuke was stepping away from that.

"I don't really have a favorite."

"Come on, Hinata." Naruto pressed, smiling at her and flopping onto couch. "What do you order when you're alone?"

"Don't ask her what she does when she's alone, you fucking creep." Sasuke went mostly ignored, though Naruto did make a sassy face at him.

He could feel Hinata shrug against him and start to lean out of her standing-snuggle but there was no ways Sasuke was finished with it. Naruto, only leaving the two arm chairs available unless they all wanted to sit on the same couch, but Sasuke wasn't having that. That felt as awkward as everyone sitting on the same side of the table, like so weird living room version of the last supper. Instead, he gently latched onto Hinata's wrist and pulled her down with him onto a single long seat, her settling in his lap.

She looked at him, blushing in astonishment, but not looking upset. One of Sasuke's hands came up to rest on the small of her back, the other smoothing over her knee. She was tragically wearing jeans today.

He drummed his fingers in her frayed knee cap. "Pizza?" He prompted.

"Um," Her cheeks were glowing. "I really like most kinds." She tried to press.

"Fine." Naruto leaned on his knees, closer to Hinata and Sasuke, looking serious. "Does pineapple go on pizza?" He asked slowly, gravely.

Hinata giggled, seeming to relax against Sasuke. "Yes please."

"I knew it!" He yelled, pointing at Sasuke. "You better believe it you prick!"

Hinata shifted tantalizingly in his lap, looking down on him in shock and horror.

Like he had just told her he didn't like eating dessert.

"You don't like-"

"Where is that cinnamon roll place, again?" He asked, leaning into her arm to hide his smartass smirk, wondering how she would react if he slid his hand into her ass.

Her face broke out into a shy smile, then biting her lip to hold back a giggle she looked away, shaking her head.

That Saturday, when Sasuke had ordered two pizzas, one with pineapple and one without, Naruto was around to annoy him again.

"So," Naruto started, drawing the word out too long.

"You've been hanging out with Ino too much." Sasuke leaned against his fridge.

"And you've been hanging with Hina quite a bit." Naruto not one to be deterred.

"Don't call her that." Not really keen on Naruto nicknaming his lady.

"She probably should've dated me instead." Naruto teased.

Sasuke's impassive mask didn't even twitch but Naruto knew how to get under his skin. He had been perfecting it for years. "We both love dessert, children, Christmas, pineapple on pizza. We're basically completely compatible."

Sasuke still said nothing, though he could feel his glare harden at each passing word.

"She gets on okay with you, but imagine her with me."

He wasn't really interest in imagining that. "I wonder how much she'll like you when your homeless." Sasuke snapped instead.

This only causes Naruto to fall into laughter.

Sasuke attributed the knock at the door for saving Naruto's life.

Swinging the door open, Sasuke expecting a pizza guy or a frumpy blue coat, and (fingers crossed) leggings, but only seeing a ratty, pink bob.

"Fuck."

Sasuke could see Naruto's blonde spikes pause, out of his periphery. "Shit." He could hear his friend mutter, finally sprinting down the hall to his room.

Sakura was standing in his doorway,

"Jus, just tell me we aren't getting back together." She demanded.

No foreplay for the argument, be could at least appreciate that.

Sasuke really had no idea how many times he could tell her that. Fuck Naruto, leaving him to face this beast alone. Deep down, he couldn't really blame him for. Sasuke would give anything to end this conversation.

"I don't want to get back together with you." Sasuke tried to say as calmly and clearly as possible. He didn't want any changes in translation form the English he could swear he was speaking to the distortions his ex could make of it.

Sakura was crumpling and quickly losing her composure. "After all this time? How can you just throw us away?"

Sasuke wanted to run his face through a wall, realizing this encounter might go longer than he wanted. Longer than ending right this damn second before Hinata showed up, wondering what was going on.

"What do you want me to say Sakura. I. Don't. Want. You."

She burst into sobs and Sasuke realized he might've been too harsh. Though to be fair, he felt that he did get his point across.

"But, we've, we've been together our entire lives practically." She spoke through sobs.

Sasuke was about to lose his shit, when he paused, trying to take a deep breath.

"Yes, Sakura. We've been friends."

Sakura and Naruto had always been there for him. Since childhood. When he had a falling out with his brother in high school. When he decided to become a lawyer and move to the city and he had a fight with his dad so big he didn't talk to them for a year. Naruto and Sakura had been there for him through everything, even when he pushed them away. Regardless of his terrible relationship Sakura had been fruitlessly trying to patch together for the last ten years, she really was his friend under it all.

"Friends." He said again. "You have been my friend."

Through her tears, he looked back up at him, almost in hope.

"I'm seeing someone new." Sasuke added. "She's not like the other ones. I like her, the girl from Thanksgiving night."

Sakura looked away again and Sasuke knew that her heart was broken.

"But, we can be friends Sakura." He tried to say as gently as possible.

Is this how Naruto would do it? Sasuke had no clue how to placate someone. Friendship wasn't always his cup of tea anyways. He had work colleagues and his family, and Naruto. Sakura had always given him more of a headache than anything else, but he knew that if she could stop being… so Sakura, that they could try and salvage some form of friendship.

After Sakura was sobbing in his doorway for more than the customary, allotted time… well Sasuke wasn't quite sure what that was. But after it felt too long for Sakura to just be standing there, he cleared his throat.

"You should probably get going." He tried to say as gently as possible.

She tucked her face into her hands and continued to cry. Sasuke just stood there in the doorway, staring at his ex girlfriend. Her pink hair was more askew than usually, she was wearing a red winter coat and what looked to be like her work scrubs underneath. She had probably just pulled a double shift. She was always extra emotional after those.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, causing Sakura to cry even harder.

"What?" The blonde popped back out of his room.

"Wait for the pizza." Sasuke was grabbing his jacket off the hook. "And…"

Naruto gave him a bewildered questioning look. "Uhhh, what about -"

"I said wait for it, fucker."


	10. Did I Forget To Turn My Ex Off?

Straw Saga 10

Did I Forget To Turn My Ex Off?

Sasuke was angry. Beyond angry really. Livid. Seething.

He was so infuriated that he couldn't even be bothered to be embarrassed by the spectacle he was creating. He had Sakura by the elbow, leading/dragging her down the street like a naughty child and she was in full on hysterics. People were giving them bewildered looks but Sasuke ignored them in favor of plowing on a head. Sakura lived four blocks away, and it would take almost twenty minutes to get there and back if he was going his fastest and not wasting time, which clearly wasn't happening right now.

Hinata was already supposed to be at his apartment. She could show up any second and he had left her in the hands of Naruto. Fucking, Naruto of all people. All because exhausted Sakura felt like it was a good time to hash out old shit.

"Thank you for walking me home." She was sniffling, trying to wipe her tears away while unlocking her apartment door.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, arms cross. "Just go to bed."

He turned, ready to try and hurry back to his apartment as quickly as possible, but Sakura grabbed onto his hand.

"Will you just come in for a second?" She was doing her stupid pouty thing, widening her red bloodshot eyes.

Sasuke suffered down a growl of annoyance. "I don't have time."

Her lip quivered. Eyes shifting. She grabbed his jacket with both fists and slammed her lips into his. They were familiar, as everything about Sakura was. They were hard and persistent, and needy, but not a sexy kind of needy. A pathetic, overused kind of needy. He knew her kisses well. And they had no effect on him.

He turned his mouth, breaking the kiss. "Sakura!"

She took the opportunity to start kissing down his cheek, his jaw line, his neck.

His hands went to grab her arms, trying to yank her off him without bruising her. He had dealt with too many assault cases. Though clearly Sakura was the aggressor in this one. It wasn't until he could feel her suction cupping onto his neck that he actually tore her away from him.

She had the audacity to give him a… hickey?

"Fuck off!" He yelled, pushing her back.

"Sasuke please." She had tears coming again.

"Get a hold of yourself. Your acting pathetic." This time he had turned completely around and taken a few steps away from her door before she started again.

"I've been fucking Hatake!" She yelled.

Sasuke froze it drowning confusing. Kakashi's strange quip on Thanksgiving finally registering in his brain. Their old teachers aid? He knew, whether or not it was true, that Sakura was telling him to make him jealous. That's how they always got back together. They would break up, find another person to have sex with, the other person would find out and they would fight, have makeup sex and get back together. This annoyed him on a number of fronts. First, that she still thought he was playing their old run around. Second, that she thought that Hinata was just a filler to make her jealous. He didn't invest all the time and feelings into Hinata just to make his ex angry and her underline insinuation of his feelings was pissing him off. And lastly, that she thought he would fucking care that she was seeing someone else when he had explicitly told her multiple times that they weren't getting back together.

"Alright." Sasuke spoke after an awkward pause.

Her face was starting to heat with anger. It was not the adorable flush of embarrassment that he was coming to adore. Far, far from it.

"I've been fucking him since August!" She screamed, and Sasuke was sure that one of her neighbors was going to call the police. "Since before we broke up!"

That actually did make Sasuke angry. And also confused to the fact why Sakura would think that telling him she cheated would make him crawl back to her.

He wanted to shove her into her apartment and start breaking shit. How dare she? Have the goddamn audacity-

Sasuke stopped a foot away from her to register her smirk. He was a second away from dragging her into the apartment and start breaking things. But, that's exactly what she wanted. Wasn't it?

He wrinkled his nose at her, sneering in disgust before turning, yet again, to leave. "Let me know when you're done with… this." He couldn't have added more disgust in his voice if he tried.

Walking back into the street, letting the cold air hit his face, not realizing how heated he had gotten after Sakura's entire encounter. Taking a deep breath, getting his thoughts back together, focusing in.

Hinata.

She had to be at his apartment by now.

And he was four blocks away with a hickey. A fucking hickey of all things. He ran a hand down his face, groaning in frustration. This is not how he wanted his day to go. He was suppose to be eating pizza watching the stupid Christmas movie!

Trying to formulate a small plan as quickly as possible. He wasn't a genius like his brother or Shikamaru, but he wasn't a dipshit like Naruto or Choji either. He could pull this off. If he entered the house quickly and managed to change his shirt into an old turtle neck without her noticing, he could salvage the night.

His eyes narrowed in on the convenient store the block before his building. He needed to bring her some kind of apology offering. At least for his own conscious. Hinata needed a present.

Trying to remember if she had drank red or white wine at Drunk Spending, realizing that gin and shots might've made him forget some key details besides an amazing kiss, snuggly Hinata and her gorgeous behind. He was leaning more towards white, but being uncharacteristically unsure of himself, chose a $45 bottle of rosé.

When he entered his apartment, jacket zipped all the to his chin, holding the bottle of wine as distraction shield, he saw that Hinata and Naruto hadn't even noticed him.

They were both huddled over something on his countertop, standing close together and laughing a little.

"Oh yeah, he's definitely going to hate it." Naruto laughed.

Hinata gave a playful groan/giggle. "Too late."

"Now that you're done, will you pleeeeease play Call of Duty?" He asked.

Oh, hell no.

"I'm back." Sasuke announced through annoyance.

He could've snuck back to his bedroom and tried to change but they were looking too chummy to be allowed to continue. Not to mention that it would be weird if he randomly walked from the back of his apartment like he had been there the whole time.

Hinata spun around and gave him one of the sweetest smiles he had ever seen. Pouty lips pulled wide, straight white teeth, a dimple in one of her pink, round cheeks. She was beautiful. And he had let her wait for… what exactly?

"Hey. How was dropping that paper work off for work?" Naruto asked, awkward and forced.

Sasuke would've thought that the idiot would've learned some tact being a cop and all. But either way, he's grateful that he kept Hinata occupied and distracted. Sasuke ignored him anyways, in favor of the gorgeous dark haired women next to him.

"I have a surprise." She continued smiling.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, placing the bottle of rosé on the table before joining them on the counter.

"Do you hate it?" She bit her lip, fingers held close to her chest and twisting in anticipation.

"You… got me a tree?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

It was a miniature Christmas tree, that one might find in office buildings or their grandmothers house. It couldn't be more than a foot tall with multi color LED lights and glitter hanging balls. There was even a tiny gold star.

"Naruto and I voted you the Cheer-Meister." She blushed.

"Cheer-what?" Sasuke asked, trying to sound disinterested.

She gasped at him. "You've never even watched the Grinch?"

He rolls his eyes and forces himself away from her. He heads back to his room, slipping on a black turtleneck and thanking whatever god that helped him pull that off.

Sasuke tells Naruto to fuck off and he slinks back to his room, not before stealing a piece of pineapple pizza. The pizza itself is actually not cold yet and they sit in the kitchen eating and drinking the wine. He apologizes about making her wait and thanks her for the tree. She's just thankful for the movie.

Sasuke realizes early on into said movie, that he's going to hate it. It's ridiculous and so completely damn obvious, using every romantic comedy plot formula he's ever heard of. He's much more interest in Hinata and he can't help but notice that she looks beautiful in her sweater and leggings. She's also wearing knit socks and for some reason, not known to him, he finds it cute.

He might even be a little turned on.

Maybe he should stop with the wine.

But when Hinata looks over at him questioningly, he kisses her. She doesn't pull away, turning back to the movie. She's locked into the same kiss as him. When he pulls away slightly, not wanting to ruin her movie, her lips follow his, softly not allowing him to break it.

Not that he was trying that hard.

Sasuke slid his arm around Hinata's shoulder, pulling her closer to him. They had sat like this before, but it felt different this time. She seemed to think so too, looking up at him through thick lashes. The light of the television showing the pink of her cheeks.

A part of Sasuke wanted to just push her off the couch and fuck her on the floor, but he knew realistically that Hinata was not the type of girl who would appreciate it. At least, not yet anyway.

So instead, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips, tentative, questioning. She kisses him back, softly as well, but lingering against him. She always seemed to kiss him like she was about to pull away, but drawing him with her. It was addicting.

After a few minutes of kissing, he wanted to do a little more. He wanted to grab her breasts, obviously. The last time he had a good glance at them was when they had carved pumpkins and he saw her in the tank top. They looked large and soft and even though she had kept them out of sight, she had not kept them out of mind. He also knew that he couldn't just reach over and frontally grope her like some senile old man or fumbling fifteen year old. Instead he let his his arm shift her body, turning her to face him, hands going to her hips.

She complied easily, continuing to kiss him. Her hands coming up to grasp onto his shirt. Sasuke took that as a good sign, hands tightening around her hips, gripping her tight and easing her back. She molded with him. His hands, coming up hard, tight on her sides, feeling the slope of her hips, dip of her stomach, the widening of her ribs. Her skin was soft and warm and was begging to be touched.

After kissing her, letting her adjust to the fact that they're just making out now. Giving her time to push him off, but desperately hoping she doesn't. After he's sure that she's comfortable, one hand is snaking up to cop a feel . That is always slow, not wanting her to feel out of control of the situation. Her hands though, are gripping his shoulders, and she's still kissing his back with just as much enthusiasm as himself.

When he does get his hands on one, they're large and soft and she arched her back into him, making a soft sound of pleasure and Sasuke smiled into their kisses. One of her hands comes up to his hair, trailing soft fingers into his tresses. Her legs shift wider apart, trying to scoot closer to him, telling him she wants more.

Sasuke has to stop himself from shoving her onto the ground and must instead gently lead her there.

He's going to need more room than the couch has to offer.

She dropped back onto her elbows, chest pushed forward. He's in between her legs, hovering over her. His hand has abandoned her ample chest and is back on her hips, toying with the band of her leggings.

Waiting for her to say no. Almost expecting it.

Everything with her had been more effort than he originally anticipated or expected and now he cannot believe that she's such a willing participant.

But she is and he's able to slide his hand down the front of her leggings, toying with a cotton thong and realizing that's she's shaved.

If he wasn't hard before, he's rock hard now.

She feels warm, wet, tight and like velvet. Two fingers slide in, Sasuke forgetting that maybe he should've done one at a time but pushes on anyways. They curl into her, expertly and she gasps in return. Her face really did look completely shocked by the sound that's come out of her mouth and Sasuke can't help but let his ego swell to catastrophic proportions. Her hands are now on his arms and for a fearful second he thinks she's going to push him away. She does about the exact opposite and latches on, keeping him in place.

He hasn't even touched her clit yet. But he does, wetting his thumb with herself and going up to tentatively play with her jewel. He is rewarded with a muffled gasp and she bites down on her bottom lip. It looks hard and juicy and Sasuke is about an inch from her face, watching her cloud with pleasure. He could kiss her, but miss out on the show? Unlikely.

When she does climax, her stomach tightens and her mouth opens. Sasuke is both afraid and eagerly anticipating a scream but instead she gives a quiet, light gasp, almost a high pitched whine at the back of her throat and it's one of the sexiest sounds Sasuke has ever heard. Her hands have clamped down on his arms, just as her downstairs is clamped on his fingers and his mouth is hovering over hers, just sharing her breath in beautiful silence for a moment.

Sasuke paused, finally and reluctantly taking his hand from the front of her leggings and letting them come back to rest on her hips. She's still breathing labored, lips swollen from the kissing and biting and he wants to kiss her again. Her eyes, wide and vulnerable and just, staring at him. They're so open and inviting he feels like he doesn't deserve it.

There's a click down the hall, hearing Naruto open his door has Sasuke separating from her and yanking her into a sitting position on the floor, putting her sweater back down by the time he joins them.

"Damn, it's so quiet. I thought you guys were fucking." Naruto muttered, grabbing one of the leftover pieces of pizza.

Hinata's eyes went wide, face red and she made a soft, quiet noise, but like she was choking on something.

"You came out because you thought we were having sex?" Sasuke snapped, still all too annoyed for getting interrupted on what could have been.

Naruto stopped watching staring at the TV, suddenly realizing what he had said. His cheeks were turning pink. "What?" He asked stupidly.

Sasuke wanted to physically choke him.

"Anyways," Naruto laughed. "So what's happened so far."

Hinata squeaked. "What?"

Naruto just laughs and grabs a piece of pizza, leaning on the wall from the kitchen to watch the movie with them.

Sasuke looks over at Hinata who had been eyeing him playfully (after getting over her embarrassment from Naruto), her face flushed from their previous activities. She biting her lower lip and it's doing nothing for the painful hardon he's trying to ignore. Her eyes, he can't even hardly -

"Are you guys going to watch the movie or are just stare at each other." Naruto jibes.

Sneering, because holy fuck her eyes are ethereal and he wants to gaze a bit, damn okay? He craned his neck over to just shook him a lazy glare. The glare of, why the fuck are you even here you blonde fucking idiot. He's about the voice the thoughts as well when Hinata makes a weird noise next to him.

A weird, gasping type noise. Like she's just bit by a spider or watching a scary movie. By the time his eyes make it back onto her, her entire demeanor has shifted.

She's recoiled like he's about to hit her. Her eyes are darting around, not settling anywhere on him. Her mouth is opening and closing, like a goldfish, words caught in her throat.

Finally, she pulls herself together, standing up off the floor abruptly. "I have to go." She announces, unceremoniously.

Sasuke stomach is clenching and dropping out of his ass at the same time. His jaw is hard and he's only able to watch her run away from him, out of his apartment after he's fucked up, for the second time.

"What?" Naruto asks instead, completely out of the loop.

Hinata is already shoving her knit socks into the winter boots and not even putting her jacket on. She just hangs it over her arm.

"Yeah, yeah. S-sorry." She's reaching for the door. "I-I think I left my straightener on and - and I don't wanna burn the apartment down. So bye!"

She shuts the door behind her before she even finishes the 'bye'.

Sasuke rakes his fingers through his hair, pulling slightly and trying to muffle a scream.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke doesn't answer but he knows. He knows.

She saw it.


	11. Not The Porn From The Playlist

Straw Saga 11

Not The Porn From The Playlist

"It could've been a pimple. I've bruised myself trying to pop a pimple."

Hinata shuddered. "Please, Lee." Begging for this conversation to end.

"Why didn't you just let it go away on its own?" Tenten asked, clearly not on the same page.

"Zits are not youthful Tenten!" Lee practically shouts at her.

"Well… technically -" Tenten starts off but Lee is already shaking his hands to shut her up.

"That's not the point. Plus, I had already decided it needed to go. If I had left it, it would've won."

Hinata slumps further into the couch, groaning into her hands.

"It could've been a rash." Lee offers.

"Yeah, you break out everytime we buy new soap." Tenten pets Hinata's arm affectionately.

She purses her lips instead.

"Maybe bed bugs?"

"Mosquito bite?"

"Spider bite?"

"Stress spots. Didn't he say he had to leave for work?"

With every possibility her roommates tossed out, Hinata felt more and more stupid for leaving the way that she had. Her basic freak out and dash was beyond mortifying after doubt had seeped in.

What if it wasn't a hickey? What did she really know about love bites in the first place. It's not like she was some kind of aficionado. In fact, her love life until quite recently had been abysmal. At best .

It's not like her bailing was making anything better.

And… it's not like they were exclusive…

If he was kissing other girls, was it really her place to mind?

Did casual dating demand exclusivity?

For Hinata, it did.

But Sasuke was gorgeous. Beyond gorgeous. He was one of the most appealing men she had ever seen. Plus he was funny, in a casual, almost hidden, sardonic way. And, he seemed to actually like her. Nobody had showed Hinata as much effort before. Not even her last boyfriend whom she had dated for eight months.

Sure, Sasuke jogged every morning and dislike dessert of all things. Sure, he didn't like pineapple on pizza. Sure, he seemed to dislike Christmas.

Christmas!

But, he had brought her hot chocolate and churros and recorded her movie and put pineapple on her pizza.

Hinata really liked him.

"I think I over reacted." She mumbled into her hands.

Tenten rubbed her back affectionately. "Probably."

Lee "mmhmm"ed. "You do that sometimes."

Hinata groaned into her hands again.

She had went straight home and spilled everything to Tenten and Lee. Who had been… semi-helpful?

They hadn't made anything worse, and she was thankful for that.

But now, she felt so stupid and somehow guilty that she couldn't even message Sasuke back, who had jokingly texted her that evening to ask if her straightener was alright. And she hadn't texted him the next morning about his jog either.

And every ignored text message made her feel worse and worse.

It was Wednesday, and she had been pouty lipped and and shoulder slumped since leaving his home after the hickey incident. And her friends had started to notice.

"Hey Hina." Tamaki has come to her room with Shino as soon as Hinata's kids had been released to lunch.

"Yeah?" She asked, distracted. Shuffling through papers that she needed to take down to the copier.

"So, Kiba has Friday off, and we were going to have a game night." Tamaki beamed.

"What?" Hinata was genuinely surprised.

Since Kiba's academy graduation and police force admittance, they hadn't had a single game night. And even though she was rather quiet, the rowdy, ridiculous game shenanigans were greatly missed.

"Why?" Shino supplied for her. "We missed you." He said simply, pushing his up the bridge of his nose.

"Aww guys." Hinata cooed, ditching her stack of papers, clasping her hands together. "That sounds so great!"

Tamaki laughed giving Hinata a quick hug. "I thought you'd like it."

"I do." Hinata promised, beaming.

"Sounds great. You two can just come over after work that day then." Tamaki looked to both Hinata and Shino. "I've gotta head to class, but I'll see you tomorrow."

Tamaki left with a friendly wave.

"I have to go face the copier." Hinata groaned, regathering her stack of papers.

Shino gave her little head tilt. "Let me take it for you."

Before Hinata could open her mouth, Shino continued.

"Why?" He guessed. "I'm headed to the office for Kurenai already. And you hate the copier."

"Are you sure?" Hinata asked, but Shino was already taking the small stack from her hand.

"I'll be back."

She went back to thrifting through paper work, suddenly in a much better mood. Though game nights tended to get a little too wild, she had high hopes for Friday. At least it was something to look forward to in this miserable week.

She hadn't been this down since before October. Before Sasuke. She couldn't remember before that. Maybe since her last break up.

Trying to shake her head out of the sadness of her last heart ache, she tried to grind into her work. There was so much to finish before her students returned. The lunch break was only so long.

The squeaking of shoes almost had her stomach in her throat, but looking at the clock and realizing she still had time relaxed her.

"Shino." She smiled, seeing him slip into her room from the corner of her eyes. "Thanks so much-"

Hinata almost had to keep down a scream from seeing that it was not in fact Shino.

At all.

Tall, thin but broad shouldered in a tasteful suit. Thick black hair playfully mused. Sharp jaw and straight nose. Smoldering, dark eyes.

Yes, smoldering.

Hinata's mouth went dry from looking at him.

He was one of the most handsome men she had ever laid eyes on and she had been ignoring his for the last few days.

"Sasuke." Hinata was more surprised that she even got that out, and less embarrassed that she was just gaping at him.

"Hinata." He said her name easily, letting it roll of his tongue, just a hint of his smirk on the corner of his lips.

He held up two cups of to-go coffee cups. One she knew was going to be hot chocolate because Sasuke really was a perfect man in every sense. She couldn't really imagine him missing any details.

He walked over to her, since she seemed only capable of standing at her desk and staring at him.

"Sorry I'm late." He spoke easily, but gave no other explanation.

It wasn't necessary. Hinata knew he rarely left work.

He offered her the cup. "It has cinnamon in it."

Her eyebrows raised, taking the offered cup. "Thank you." She almost whispered, taking a sip.

"You like cinnamon." He stated.

Hinata paused a moment and nodded. She was rather partial to it.

"Have you tried Horchata?" Sasuke asked.

"Whore-what?" Hinata asked quickly, almost nervous.

"Here are you copies, Hinata." Shino's voice from the doorway made Hinata jump.

Her cheeks burned from her twitchiness and she quickly retrieved them from her friend, thanking him as he left.

Glancing back at Sasuke, who was now leaning on her desk. Sasuke, who looked like a dapper GQ model. Hinata glanced down at her Christmas sweater and clogs.

How did he even like her?

Like her enough to bring her hot chocolate with cinnamon in it.

She walked back to her desk, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"So, horchata." He prompted again. "There's this Mexican place near my work. A coworker of mine recommended it. They have horchata. It has cinnamon."

Hinata's cheeks felt hot and she tried to swallow her smile in her delicious cocoa.

He was thinking of her?

"So, Sunday. Brunch."

She smiled and nodded. "Horchata?" She asked, trying to sound it out.

He nodded.

"Okay." She tried to stop staring at his face. "Sunday." She agreed.

"Because Saturday, we need to finish a Christmas Prince."

He said the words 'Christmas Prince' with so much distance that Hinata actually laughed out loud.

"Yeah." She giggled. "I want to see the ending."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "All those movies end the same."

She gasped, playfully at him. "I still want to see it."

"You will." He bristled sarcastically. "On Saturday. And you owe me for watching it twice."

"You finished it without me?" Hinata asked in genuine surprise.

"What else was I supposed to do? Naruto needed to see the ending, apparently."

They laughed together for a second about his silly blonde roommate but they lulled into an awkward silence.

"Look, about last week-"

"You don't have to." She cut him off quickly.

He raised an eyebrow and she looked down, embarrassed for cutting him off.

"You don't have to explain. What you do is your own business. Not mine. So… it's fine." She swallowed.

Sasuke face froze for a moment. She was unsure if he could ever actually be confused.

But he had paused after she spoke. His brows inched ever so lightly together. His mouth pressed into a straight line. Eyes boring into her. Just completely silent for a second.

Finally, he sucked in a deep breath. "No."

"No?" Hinata squeaked. Her hands gripped her paper cup.

"No. Just-" Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "You are the worst."

She gasped. "What?"

Sasuke shook his head lightly. "Since the moment I met you, you've been difficult. And now? Now, just -" He took another deep breath. "You are he most difficult person I have to deal with on a daily basis. Hinata, I'm a lawyer. I live with fucking Naruto."

Hinata was sure her cheeks her crimson. She gasped at him. "I'm not trying to be difficult."

"I know." He practically groaned. Rolling his eyes. "Look, I'm not seeing anyone else. Just you."

It felt like her heart could finally beat normally again, not realizing exactly how much it had hurt after leaving his house until it didn't anymore. She let out a breath and smiled.

"Oh." Her fingers loosened. "That's good."

He looked at her looking mildly amused. "Hn." He hummed and then took a drink of his coffee. He gestured to her, tilting his head. "And you?"

Hinata audibly gasped. "Me? No! No definitely not. No." She could feel her face flaming and she cleared her throat, trying to regain some composure.

Or dignity.

"I'm just seeing you as well." She finished, lamely.

"Hn." He hummed. "That's good." Sasuke mimicked through his smirk.

She bit her lip, trying not to smile as hard as she was.

"So, Saturday."

Hinata nodded.

She looked at him again. At the hollows of his cheek bones and arches of his brows. Of his soft, full lips. Lips she had been kissing last weekend. While they had been doing… other things.

Her cheeks burned painfully and she looked down, trying to get herself together. Reminding herself that she was at school and her students would be returning from lunch momentarily.

But also not being able to get the memory of an earth shattering orgasm out of her mind that he had been able to draw out of her. With only his fingers, no less.

He seemed to catch onto her shyness and thought train because he's Sasuke Uchiha and he's amazing at everything.

Especially amazing when his free hand brushed against her neck, feeling like fire on her skin as he made his way into her hair, making her want to groan out loud. Leaning in, pressing his lips, softly against hers in a way that felt light and deliciously suffocating in one, breathless kiss.

"Ms. Hyuga is kissing a BOY!"

"Cooties!"

"You said to keep our hands and mouths to ourselves."

"No, it's okay, mommies and daddies are allowed to kiss. And share beds."

Hinata had never seen Sasuke look uncomfortable before. And she wondered if the jogging was what helped him book it out of her room so quickly, barely even tossing a goodbye from over his shoulder.

The rest of her day had been a thousand times better. Even exchanging a few evening messages and asking about his run in the mornings really made her feel so much better throughout the day. She couldn't wait to see him again on Saturday.

But first.

Game night.

"Careful Hinata, I don't want you crying all night on my couch again." Kiba joked.

She pouted. "I don't cry every time. I don't know why you guys keep insinuating it."

They had been playing various games for more than an hour. Never sticking to a game for very long. They had gone through Cards Against Humanity, Never Have I Ever and a few more, adult type games. Tamaki had snacks and beer and wine was always in their house.

And apparently everyone liked to remind Hinata of instances that she started drunk crying if she wanted to have a second glass of wine.

"You tend to be a sensitive drunk person." Shino tried to break it to her as gently as possible.

Like they had never gone through the conversation before.

Trying not to roll her eyes at her friends, because Hinata was a kind person who loved loved them very much. "I'm not even drunk." She finished pouring her second glass.

"Well, I definitely am." Tenten leaned back in her chair.

"Me too." Tamaki giggled, draping herself over Kiba.

"I'm aware, woman." He grumbled.

"Hinata, are you excited?" Tamaki asked.

"For what?"

"Tomorrow!" Tenten yelled, her drunk voice not taking into account they were in Kiba and Tamaki's tiny loft.

"Yeah, aren't you basically one hundred percent going to have sex tomorrow?" Tamaki asked again.

"What?" Hinata gasped, not feeling drunk enough to discuss this in front of Kiba and Shino.

They seemed to understand her thought process, probably inferring from the incredulous looks she was shooting both of them.

"Oh please Hina, you've fucked Shino before." Kiba waved her off.

"Well, barely." Shino muttered.

"Please stop." Hinata wanted to crawl into a hole.

Tamaki just giggled. "Well, she hasn't had sex since-"

"He Who Must Not Be Named." Tenten cut in before Tamaki could mention her ex by name.

Hinata thought perhaps it was over kill but also much appreciated.

"It's been two years?" Lee gasped.

Nothing better to cheer her up then to find out all her friends know she hasn't had sex in two years.

"You've got to prepare, Hina." Kiba admonished.

Tenten and Lee nodded.

Hinata was completely done with his conversation.

"You should probably watch some porn. They've probably come out with some new things since you retired." It would've been funny if Tamaki hadn't of said that whole sentence in a serious voice.

"Oooohh." Tenten's eyes glittered. "Yes!"

"Please no." Hinata whimpered.

Shino nodded in agreement with her.

"What, we use to watch it in college." Kiba defended.

"We were stoned." Shino countered.

Lee gasped. "You two are school teachers!" He pointed accusing fingers and Shino and Hinata. "Drug users, teaching our youths? Our future?"

"Kiba's a cop." Hinata tried to defend. "And it was only like twice."

"The weed or the dirty videos?" Tenten jibbed.

"Kiba, pull it up on the TV." Tamaki encouraged.

Tenten and Lee took a spot on the couch, apparently completely fine, watching an adult film together like a regular movie night.

"I don't think this is -" Hinata tried.

"From the playlist?" Tamaki asked, fiddling on her phone.

Kiba snorted. "No, we want softcore porn."

Lee looked aghast. "What is on your playlist?"

"Don't ask!" Hinata squealed.

After a few minutes of looking Tamaki had finally pulled up a five minute long prono and Hinata already had her eyes sealed shut, drowning down the last of her cup already.

Five minutes of pure torture. A three minute long deep throating blow job and then straight into an awkward, sideways position where the girl was just looking at the guy and crying out.

"The sounds she's making are ridiculous." Hinata complained.

She could block her eyes. But not her ears.

"Hey, Shino. What sounds did Hinata make?" Tenten jibed.

Shino tilted his head like he was considering something.

Hinata let out a strangled, high pitched squeak. "No! Please stop."

"Usually that." He pointed to her current state.

Kiba laughed and gave him a fist bump.

Hinata couldn't have felt more mortified.

"Please can we not discuss size again." Lee looked about as stressed as Hinata felt.

Tenten rubbed his back affectionately. Not everyone can compete with a thirteen inch monstrosity.

"Okay, now it looks likes she's cuming." Tamaki brought their attention back to the TV.

"That looks fake." Hinata frowned, regretting opening her eyes.

"Or your not doing right." Tenten elbowed her.

"Oh my god!" Hinata cried again, burying her face in her hands.

"Well." Shino muttered and the women finally climaxed. "She's crying on the couch again."


	12. The One Where Sasuke Finally Gets Laid

Straw Saga 12

The One Where Sasuke Gets Laid

Sasuke would usually rather die than decorate a gingerbread house. It was a frivolous decoration, a craft that he thought was a waste of time. Not to mention it involved cookies, frosting and candy. But it was actually hard. And messy.

But when Hinata showed up at his house with a kit she had bought at the store, when he had thought she might never come over again. Talk to him. Acknowledge him, period. He barely had the heart to groan in mild distaste. Mostly just thankful that Horchata and a Christmas Prince had lured back to him.

She had liked the Horchata, by the way.

After absolutely coating his hands with royal icing, a nasty white substance that dried like toothpaste and was so sweet that not even Hinata would eat it. It was pretty shit at holding up the structural integrity of the stupid house as well. Sasuke had many complaints about the icing. Including trying to work his phone after Hinata asked for a picture with her candy house.

There was icing in his fucking home button now!

But after the infuriating icing, came something even worse.

The stupid movie. The stupid fucking movie.

Even before they start the movie, he's filled with this sick sense of dread. He hated the movie. Unsurprisingly. Naruto had made him rewatch the beginning and finish it with him. So after finishing it with Hinata, he would have watched it twice.

Two more times then he had ever hoped that he would.

But he sits down on the couch, pulling her close against him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. He squeezes her lightly, leaning his head close to her and taking a inconspicuous sniff, because she smells like cookies and springtime.

He realizes that it's probably a combination of some type of vanilla lotion and a light floral perfume but when boiled down to it; cookies and springtime.

Which, of course she smells like that. Of course. What else would a women like her smell like?

While trying to block off the insufferable movie, Sasuke ponders (not for the first time) how ridiculous Hinata coming into his life was.

He was being some fucking asshole, yelling at a waitress and suddenly there's a beautiful, kind women in his life, who keeps him on his toes after every encounter thereafter.

Then, following the Sakura incident, feeling like he deserved Hinata's cold shoulder but abhorring it more then anything he had ever felt.

She was like sunshine. Not the blinding sunshine that blots your vision or welts your skin in angry red burns. But the fluffy, warmth of springtime. New beginning. Cozy and inviting, like fresh baked cookies.

Cookies and springtime.

Sasuke's mushy train of thought derails and he realizes that he's just staring at Hinata's profile. Because, she really is beautiful, in a way he wouldn't usually notice about women. But she is. A soft, natural beauty.

He's been spending too much time with Naruto, he suddenly realizes. His once sharp mind has gone completely to shit. It probably doesn't help that he has watched a Christmas RomCom twice in one week. And he's been spending the last two months getting cocoa, making crafts and getting lunches sent to his work. He's become soft. So sickeningly mushy that he can't even stomach sitting any longer.

So he kisses Hinata, like he's wanted to since the first time he's kissed her. Since before that. Since he saw her take off her sweatshirt November 1st, when they carved pumpkins for an obscure reason and she had rejected his date. Maybe even since she smiled at him politely and not flirting with him whatsoever after grabbing him a straw, when she really should've ignored him at the least, or told him to fuck off.

Sasuke thinks with a bitter taste in the back of his throat, but a sweet taste on his lips, that he might've liked her since the second he saw her giving him the straw.

Before she ignored him and actually made him work for his affection. (Something that is depressingly rare and something he appreciates so much about her.)

Before he even caught a glimpse of that ass that now haunts his most delicious dreams.

Love at first sight? No, he isn't pathetic enough for that.

But there's something. Has been since the first second.

And he kisses her again.

The movie is forgotten and Sasuke grabs her face, deepening the kiss. Because he likes her. He really fucking likes her.

After just a couple of minutes of kissing, Sasuke had picked Hinata up like a toddler, legs wrapping around his waist, arms coming around his shoulders to steady herself.

"What about the movie?" Hinata hummed through the kiss.

"I watched the ending with Naruto." His hands went down to cup her ass, fingers splayed out against them.

She made an indignant hum but their lips were pressed together, cutting her off disapproval. Sasuke was sure that it was half hearted anyways. She was kissing him back, hands gripping against his shoulders, back arching her breasts against his chest and pressing her butt further into his grasp. He couldn't keep the smirk off his face, letting his hands roam where he had laid eyes almost two months ago and hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

"How does it end?" She had pulled back to gasp for air.

Sasuke tried not to huff like a child. He really did. "Have you ever seen one of those movies?" Sasuke did not appreciate being interrupted. Her mouth tasted as delicious as her ass had felt.

Her eyes shifted to the side for a moment, lips pursed in thought. "Okay." Point taken, she seemed to say.

They had reached Sasuke's room and he hand leaned her gently against the wood so he could open the door, completely planning on his continued exploration of her amazing booty. But as soon as she stepped into his room, Hinata seemed to have an opposite agenda.

She let out a little gasp and her legs unwrapped from around him. Sasuke didn't even try and hide his frown as she slid down him, dropping back to her regular height of right under his collar bones. She glanced around his room for a good moment, a small smile on her pouty lips.

"Wow." She breathed. "It's so clean in here."

"Tch." He scoffed. Because of course it would be.

Hinata eyed him out of the corner of her eye but said nothing.

Sasuke decided to appraise his room as well, wondering what she was seeing and thinking. He had a king sized bed with soft, cotton bedding and no extra throw pillows. They were unnecessary in his opinion. There were two side tables with average, non descript lamps. There was a desk pressed against the wall, littered with all the work cases and documents Sasuke drug home with him everyday.

"You don't have curtains in here either." She commented, stepping closer to the desk.

He doesn't know what she means by that.

Sasuke kicked the door shut and followed after her. It was one of those strange feelings from having someone so close that it feels weird to have them away. And Sasuke had been itching to get her body back onto his since she had climbed off.

Closing the door shut would've plunged the room into darkness if it wasn't for the lack of curtains, as she had pointed out. The lights of the city illuminated enough that he could still see her. It gave her a yellowish, neon hue and Sasuke kept his eyes trained on her face, appreciating her in a new light, quite literally.

"Am I allowed to be looking at these?" She asked quietly.

"It's illegal."

She gasped, lips parting. Wide, beautiful eyes darting to meet his own. The yellow light and her thick lashes were casting long, wispy shadows on her cheeks.

Sasuke slide one hand on her hip, pressing them closer together.

"Just depends which one you're looking at." Sasuke conceded.

A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth and her attention went back.

Her hands reached out to a few pictures that he had at the back of his desk. Grabbing one of Itachi, Shisui and Sasuke posing outside of the church in his hometown. Sasuke for the life of him, couldn't remember whose wedding it was, a Uchiha cousin, he thought idly.

"That church is pretty." She commented.

It was all brick and stain glass and Sasuke had spent every Christmas, Easter, wedding and funeral there. "It's the church where my parents live upstate."

Her fingers traced Sasuke's face for a second and he felt a cozy feeling in his chest.

"He looks just like you but with a ponytail." Her fingers hopped to Itachi. "But like he's in desperate need of a nap." She added, almost an afterthought.

Sasuke almost snorted. "He's my older brother, Itachi. He's a cop, and I think he was undercover when this wedding happened."

"Older brother." Hinata echoed.

Sasuke wondered if she was thinking about her own older brother. Someone's whose death had influenced her so much that she denied herself the opportunity of becoming a second hand business mogul in exchange for the rewards and monetary struggles of being a teacher.

Sasuke didn't like the idea of Hinata feeling sad at this moment.

Any moment, actually.

"And that's my idiot cousin." Sasuke tapped Shisui's face.

Hinata smiled, setting the picture down and reaching for the next one. Sasuke froze for a second, realizing who was in this particular photo.

"Oh," Hinata hummed. "I didn't realize you guys were so close."

Sasuke's mouth felt dry.

It was a photo of Naruto, Sakura and himself on a ratty couch. Back before him and Sakura had started their cycle of dysfunction. Naruto was leaned back, laying down with a massive smile on his face, legs thrown over both Sasuke and Sakura's lap. Sasuke had his elbows on his knees, fingers laced, glaring at the camera. Sakura had been beaming, hugging him. Ino had taken the photo.

"That was New Year's in my apartment, my first year of law school." He spoke carefully.

It had been his apartment with Sakura. Naruto had been sleeping on that ratty couch, trying to finish the Police Academy. He had been happy then, happy with Sakura. Before their relation had been fucked (quite literally) beyond repair.

"I've known the whole group since college." Sasuke spoke, referring to the Drunks Spending friends. "But Naruto and - " He paused, not even wanting to over her name in front of Hinata. It felt like tainting the moment.

He grabbed the picture out of her hand. "Sorry, this one's definitely sending you to prison.

She giggles as he set it down on top of his paper. Grabbing her wrist, pulling Hinata to face him again, placing her hand on his shoulder. Sliding his hands on her hips and pulling her against him again. Dipping in for a kiss.

"What were you saying?"

"Hn." Sasuke hummed, lips still against hers. "I'm done talking."

"Are you?" She giggled.

He nods and kisses her again. And doesn't stop until he can't breath, and he's panting in between their kisses. But even then he doesn't break off.

He backs them into his bed and sits on it, pulling her down with him. Their kisses continue until she's straddling him, laid back. It's an amazing feeling and he hasn't felt like this is awhile. A long while. It's been forever since he's got laid. Since before Halloween.

And he's been thinking about Hinata's ass since about then too.

It dawns on him suddenly. "Shit." He muttered.

Hinata pulled back, moving to sit up but just grounding her hips harder into him, making him stifle a groan.

"What?" She squeaked, her hair hanging down around her, making a halo around her face. Her eyes looked wide, concerned, pouty lip open slightly with concern. "What's wrong."

Sasuke is too busy admiring the beautiful women on top of him and literally drowning in his self pity that he doesn't even respond for a second. Instead, he reached his hand up and lets his fingers tangle into hair and he tucks a portion behind her ear.

Sasuke wants to tell her that she's breathtaking. But instead he says-

"I don't have any condoms."

Her head tilts for a second, worried expression still evident on her face. Then it's completely engulfed into the flames of her blush. She sits back up completely, and Sasuke has to sit up with her, not wanting to just continue to stare at her from his back. Though he wouldn't really mind it.

Hinata is still on his lap, but her head is ducked down and she's playing with her fingers. Sasuke's hands wrap around her hips and he had to force himself not to grind on her, since he probably won't be getting any that evening. Nobody is more regretful then he is at this moment.

In fact, Sasuke almost considers texting to ask if Naruto has any.

"Um." Hinata shifts, swallowing, eyes darting around Sasuke's room, looking more embarrassed then he's ever seen her.

Fuck. He's broken her.

"I have one."

This is the last thing he expected her to say.

She also looks surprised that she admitted it. She can't meet his eyes and Sasuke thinks she's going to rip her fingers off.

"What?" He tried to ask as delicately as possible. Surely he's heard her wrong. Misunderstanding this situation somehow.

"Well - well." She swallows. "My friends, they were kind of bullying me." She laughs nervously. "Long story short, I was given one last night, and I forgot in my pocket… until this moment…" She trails off adorably.

She looks up at him, her eyes still looking unsure.

Sasuke swallows slowly, willing himself to calm down. "Would you like to go get it?" He tries to ask as nonchalantly as possible.

Hinata's smile breaks out and she can't meet his eyes as she climbs off him and saunters out of the room. Sasuke moves to the edge of the bed, feet resting on the floor. Even though the condom discussion was awkward to say the least, and he's still beyond confused as to why she has one, he's glad that she seems just as eager to fuck him as he does her.

When she gets back, it's basically all business. Since both parties involved have now inadvertently stated their willingness, it's not as awkward to slide her sweater up over her soft, relatively flat stomach, exposing a plain, cotton bra over round, firm looking breasts. He rips his own shirt off a second after and they continue to kissing.

"Will this work?" She asks, after leaning back to breath for a moment.

Sasuke takes the foiled package from her fingers and inspects it for a second. It's too dark to read anything on it, but it's clearly a condom and that's all he could really ask for in this moment.

That and his hands on her ass.

"It'll do." He slides it in his mouth so he has two hands to down the back of her oh so flattering leggings and grabs her ass. He pulls her flush against himself and then flips her around so she pinned down under him, into the bed. He then, drags her leggings down with him, pulling them off leaving a black, cotton thong.

Simple, soft, black cotton. Sasuke has never appreciated underwear before. But they're understated, so he can more readily appreciate Hinata herself. And he does.

He definitely does.

Sasuke unbuttons his own jeans too, sliding them off and kicking them away. He does like a clean room. But he's not about to waste time worrying about clothes on his floor when the only thing separating Hinata and himself is a cotton thong and boxer briefs.

And that bra. Her ticks were begging for it.

He finally takes the condom from his teeth and climbs back on top of her.

Her bra is quickly discarded and he doesn't even register that this is the first time that he's seeing her boobs because they're mesmerizing. Not sure if it's because he hasn't seen any in awhile or if hers are actually amazing, but he does in fact perceive them as amazing. They feel amazing too.

He might've accidentally mentioned that they were amazing, because she blushes even harder, which was already a pretty impressive shade of red. The blush reaches her shoulders and her chest and she practically illuminates. She breathes a lquiet "thank you".

Shaking his head, trying to get a hold of himself, Sasuke gets down to business. Almost unceremoniously yanking her thong off and his own underwear, still kissing her, manages to open up the condom and slide it on, all still kissing her.

Pulling her further down the bed, fucking up his blankets but only paying attention to the beautiful women under him. Looking up at thim, wide eyes, just waiting for him. He hooks one of her smooth, pale thighs with his arm, lines himself up and goes for it.

Sasuke doesn't really take into consideration that Hinata might not be as ready as he is and when we finally slams into her, she gasps loudly.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Oh, no." She says too dismissively.

Sasuke leans back, trying to pretend that it didn't hurt his pride a tiny bit.

"Oh no!" She gasps, realizes what she just said. "No, no, no." She stutters out. "You're amazing. Really. Impressive. Fantastic."

She's just sputtering out descriptive words and Sasuke is ready to just get dressed and leave his own apartment.

"Please I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that." She sits up more and Sasuke had to try harder than he should to not stare at her rack.

He has still said nothing.

"It's just, my first time was like-" She pauses, looking around, wrinkling her nose, looking like she's done taking. "He was like… massive."

Sasuke stomach drops. "Excuse me?"

Hinata's face has drained of color. "Well, Shino is like thirteen inches. And it was my first time. So, I'm just saying, nothing could hurt as bad as that."

Sasuke had rolled over onto his back, and wonders if he's going to throw up. The number "thirteen" running laps around in his mind. Sasuke is a solid seven. In real inches, he had no reason to lie to himself. He would consider himself on the thicker side as well.

But he's not a fucking thirteen inch monster dick.

Yes, he liked Hinata. And partially because she's a challenge. But trying to be the second act to a Man Meat Monstrosity is not really how Sasuke saw this evening going.

Wait?

"Shino? The guy you work with?" Sasuke's voice has risen too high.

"We dated my freshmen year of college." Hinata continues. "He's one of my best friends. We were only together for a couple weeks. We only had sex twice."

She continues to ramble while Sasuke lays back, staring.

"Both times didn't really work out."

Sasuke is still silent.

"You are definitely bigger than my ex." She coos, trying to make him feel better.

Sasuke bristles. "So are we just going to discuss all the people you've had sex with?" He practically snarls.

"It was only those two." Hinata squeaks in defense.

Her bottom lip is pressed out in a frown as she looks down at the sheets that she fisting. She looks completely put out, face flushed and she's naked.

Sasuke finally re-realizes that she's naked. The slope of her breasts, the curves of her thighs, don't get his started on her firm ass…

He swallows.

"Do you still want to?" He asks her so calmly, quietly. Almost like he's asking her to brunch on Sundays.

Her eyes brighten up and she meets his eyes again, shining. She nods shyly, biting her plump lip.

"I need you to say it."

Hinata bites down harder and quirks an eyebrow at him.

"I'm a lawyer, Hinata. I need your explicit consent."

Both her eyebrows furrow and her lips pout. "You're a petroleum lawyer."

One of Sasuke's hands had made its way to Hinata's and he's drawing, soft, lazy circles on the inside of her wrists.

"I'm waiting." He whispers.

Hinata shivers when she finally realizes what he's doing and Sasuke has to hold down a smile. Her eyes flicker across his face and back down as some of her blush recedes.

"What do you want me to say?" She asks innocently.

She probably has never dirty talked before. Sasuke tries not to smile, biting his lip to just look at her again. She really is unlike any women he's been with.

His hand goes to her thigh, stroking it tenderly. "Tell me what you want."

He's expecting her to get flustered. To not answer even. Or say something funny so he can tease her about it. He's even expecting for her to say something less risqué, like asking him to kiss her, so he can work her back up to sex.

But she surprises him. As usual.

"I just want you." She says quietly.

Sasuke's hands still on her thighs (which he was planning to bring back to her ass) but instead he just stares into her eyes, looking at her. Round cheeks. Plump lips. Large eyes. Thick lashes. Button nose. Her fringe is ruffled.

She's beautiful.

His heart clenches.

He reaches up, grasping the back of her neck, tangling his fingers in her hair and kissed her long and hard. She feels his arms and his back and tangled into his hair too, her hands are soft and gentle and he leans into her touch.

Finally, he grips her hips and pushes into her. It's soft and slow this time and he laces his other hand in hers. She still gasps this time but he kisses them away and continues slowly. Hinata is far more receptive than he thought she would be. For a quiet, shy person, she moans and gasps a hell of a lot more than he expected.

He groans when she gasps his name.

Her fingers gently grasp his hair, because it's not in her to hurt him, even in the throws of passion.

"Sasuke." She squeaks, breathless.

She tightens hard around him as she grasps his bicep and he finishes hard, burying his face in her shoulder.

He rolls off of her and takes a breath, laying back into his pillows. Reveling in the mind blowing sex that he's just had, closing his eyes. But they snap open, feeling Hinata's arm against his arm.

He's never been a snuggler. Ever. Sakura was clingy and intertwined their limbs and didn't leave room to think or breathe. And the rests were randoms that he even regretted bringing to his house.

But Hinata…

He slipped his arm under the neck and shoulders and gently tucks her into his chest. She's soft and warm and smiles up at him. After a moment, she tentatively rolls against him, toes tucking under his calves, and small hand resting on his bony chest, a soft cheek ghosting on his shoulder.

He could feel her breath, soft against him as she exhaled.

"What are you thinking?" She asks him quietly.

"Hn," He hums. "The ending to a Christmas Prince is really stupid."

She smiles softly, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "What? Tell me." She urges. "Pretty please."

Sasuke wrinkles his nose. "It's so terrible, you wouldn't even believe me." His hand is pressed against her back and he wants to draw circles on her but something holds him back. "You should come back over tomorrow and you can just see it for yourself."

He winces at his pathetic attempt to entice her back.

She smiles again, looking back down. "I'd love to, but, I'm going to Suna for Christmas."

"Suna?" Sasuke asks.

"My family goes every year. I'll be gone for my birthday too." She says, getting dressed.

"When do you come back?" He tries not to sound desperate.

Sasuke frowns, now realizing that there's really no excuse now to go home for Christmas. But he also won't see her for an extended length of time.

And as shallow as it sounds, after being so close and intimate with her. Sasuke knows that he's going to make an effort to spend more time with her. After feeling her pressed against himself, there's no way in hell he's just going to be seeing her on the weekends.

So this is how Sasuke finds himself back at his mother's home, Christmas Eve morning. His mother is prepping food for tomorrow night's dinner. He's not been there twenty minutes, drinking black coffee at the table with his father, before he actually wishes he had just stayed at home.

"Could Sakura not get time off?"

His mother's question is actually quite benign. Sakura and Naruto are almost always over when he's home. Or he's with them. So he shouldn't be annoyed about it. He really shouldn't.

But he bristles like an old cat and tries to keep the matching look off his face. But turns out his natural look is sour anyways.

"No idea." He clips, fingers drumming on his coffee cup.

His mother turns to look at him from the stove, a frown on her face.

His father clears his throat, giving him a pointed glare over the news paper. Even though he's almost thirty now, and is only staying here because his mother begged him, he's still getting the same look from Fugaku. The look that says 'don't fucking piss your mom off, or else'.

Sasuke rolls his eyes and looks away. But not without a kick to the ankles.

He hisses, glaring back at his dad but Fugaku is already focused back on the paper, with every air of surety that Sasuke will take the correction in obedient silence.

He's correct in this assumption. Sasuke might be an adult now with an amazing job, a Roth IRA and 401k, his own upscale apartment and a sports car, but his dad is still someone that Sasuke has no desire to actually cross.

He tried enough times in high school to realize the futility of it.

"I'm disappointed you guys couldn't work it out for the holidays, Sasuke." She frowns, already turning back to her cooking.

Sasuke's frown deepens and he can feel his eyebrow knit together. He jaw sets and his nose flares. "I'm dating someone new."

"Your mother doesn't need to hear about your new floozys." Fugaku grumbles.

Sasuke's lip twitches into a momentary sneer but tires to calm it down. His dad doesn't know Hinata. "You'd like her."

It's true. Hinata reminds him of a sweet, small town girl that both of his parents would adamantly approve of. She does crafts, watches sappy movies, has a crazy sweet tooth and one of the nicest people he's ever met. There really wasn't much to dislike about her.

Perhaps her indecisiveness would wear on some people, but Sasuke kind of found it mildly endearing.

"What are you guys talking about."

Sasuke is beyond surprised to see Izumi and Itachi and their horde of children. He hadn't even heard them come in.

"Nothing." His parents chime in unison.

Sasuke can't let this go.

"Discussing my new girlfriend." He says each word pointedly.

"You have a new girlfriend?" Shisui trails in behind them.

Sasuke sighs inwardly at his lie. Because she's not technically his girlfriend. He's never asked Hinata to be his girlfriend. He's never called her his girlfriend to see her reaction. He doesn't know if she would even want to be his official girlfriend. But, Sasuke realizes in this moment that that's what he wants.

"Yes." He nods. "Her names Hinata."

The lying doesn't bother him. He's a lawyer. His profession practically demands that he had some kind of broken compass on that. But the feeling of realizing that he desperately wants Hinata to be his girlfriend and she is not, is what's now churning his gut.

Everyone is kind of quiet, except for Itachi's five boys who have either scattered into the house to play to taken up seats at the table as well.

"Um," Izumi, always the nicest, slides across from him, shaking the snow out of her hair. "Care to share?"

Sasuke opens his phone and goes to the camera roll, where a single picture of Hinata and a gingerbread house are. Totally worth how hard it was to get the frosting out of its crevices.

Izumi brown eyes go wide at this. "Mikoto." She cqalls his mother over.

"What?" Itachi asks worried.

His mother looks just as confused and Izumi does and Sasuke wonders if there are any embarrassing photos on his phone that Izumi could've accidentally scrolled to. Both Izumi and his mother have only scrutinized the photo and his face.

Finally, Itachi and Shisui go over to look as well. Shisui cocks his head to the side, eyes also going a little wide.

"This is your girlfriend?" Itachi asks.

Sasuke's about to snatch his phone back when his dad beats him to it.

"What the goddamn fuss-" Fugaku grumbles, sliding on a pair of reading glasses. He has to adjust the phone in front of his eyes for a few seconds, since he's so fucking old, and then frowns. But not in a way that he's upset. Just that, Sasuke's father was always frowning. Always.

"Hn." He hummed, and Sasuke forced himself to ignore how familiar the sound was.

He was not just like his dad! Thank you very much!

"This isn't a prostitute." Is the only thing Fugaku says before handing the phone back to Sasuke.

And it is, in fact, not a prostitute. Just the recent photo of Hinata and their gingerbread house. His only photo of her, Sasuke realizes that he must do something to change that.

"No, she's not." Sasuke agrees with confusion. "She's a kindergarten teacher." He pauses. "Hey! I don't date prostitutes."

Shisui smiles. "Sasuke, come on."

"What's a prostitute?" One of Itachi's sons at the table ask.

Izumi blanches but his Mom is already talking over her. "Honey, please be nice to this girl."

"What is that suppose to mean?" He asks, too defensively.

"Don't lead that poor, sweet girl on. That's no fair. You and Sakura always get back together and you're going to break some angel's heart."

Sasuke closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose. He can faintly hear Itachi and Izumi try and to minimize the damage they just exposed their child to. He's getting a headache, really not in the mood to talk about Sakura.

Not even close.

He wants Hinata to wake up and text him back. He wants his family to stop bringing up his ex. And he wants breakfast.

He only gets one of those things.

After eggs, Itachi talks him into taking the boys sledding. He really only agrees for Izuna. And only his parents and Izumi are going to stay behind, and Sasuke's not old or a lady so there's really no excuse.

The trek is cold and wet and up a ridiculously steep hill that Sasuke himself remembers sliding down with Naruto. The conversations are awkward. He doesn't like little kids. And he starts walking up faster, hoping to get this ordeal over with. After a while of walking he somehow gets sectioned off with Madara and Izuna, then being the oldest and able to keep up with Sasuke's long legs. Once they get to the top, Sasuke and Madara are about to just go down, fuck everyone else, but Izuna is there to remind them that they should wait.

"So…" Sasuke asks idly, trying to fill the silence. "Are you excited for Santa?"

Madara looks up at him with disdain. "I've learned not to trust in Santa. I can't rely on my own behaviors to get good gifts. I must take things into my own hands."

A shiver runs down Sasuke's spine and he no longer cares about Izuna or the other boys. He's regretting this sledding expedition since its inception and he's completely fucking done now. He snagged a sled from one of the littler boys, not feeling too bad because he's small enough to ride down with someone else, and plans his escape.

It's a short plan. He's going to go down this hill and get the fuck back to his parents house. The reception out there sucked anyways.

But as he sits down. Legs still planted in the snow to steady himself. This is, until Shisui and Itachi crest the hill. Both older men seems to deduce what had happened instantaneously. Itachi gives him a disappointing look, seeing one of his little sons without a sled. Shisui practically throws his own plastic round at the boy and barrels into Sasuke, crashing into his lap and sending them down the hill together.

By the time Sasuke makes it back to the Uchiha house, he's soaking wet and shivering.

Sasuke: I was 'sledding raped'. 12:22pm.

Hinata: I love sledding. 12:23pm

Sasuke: I said I was raped. How are you not phased by this? 12:25pm.

Hinata: Well sledding is so fun I thought it evened it out. 12:25pm.

Sasuke: The horrors of rape are negated by a fun afternoon of sledding in your mind? 12:25pm.

There's almost an hour of silence and Sasuke thinks that he might've been too hard on Hinata. But then she replies.

Hinata: So I'm gathering that you didn't have very much fun. 1:19pm.

Sasuke actually laughs out loud. His father sends him an annoyed glance over his cup of afternoon coffee and same paper from this morning and Sasuke can't really seem to mind it.

He texts Hinata a lot while he's upstate. More so then he did when they were both in the city. His days are wide open, and leaves plenty of room for him to realize that if he isn't drowning in work, that he likes to spend time with Hinata.

She texting her well into the evening, and he knows that it's even later in Suna and she should be sleeping. She even says it herself but asks Sasuke for something.

She has made very few requests since he's known her, and feels like a picture of his Christmas tree is not a hard thing to grant her.

Especially when she tells him that there is not tree at the condo her father is renting.

He thinks of Hinata and her festive spirit and that her without a Christmas tree just doesn't sit right with him.

So he obliged almost immediately. Only putting on airs of his annoyance.

His phone was immediately ringing after he had sent the message. And of course, it was Hinata. Not being able to keep the smile down, he answered.

"I thought you were going to sleep."

He could hear her muffled giggle and wondered what she looks like, tucked into bed.

"I am." Her voice sounded lower when she was tired.

It was both cute and sexy and Sasuke wasn't quite sure how that was possible but it was definitely true.

"But your tree is the cutest tree I've ever seen." She gushed.

Sasuke could picture her pink cheeks and her smile. He really liked her smile.

"It's not the worst." Sasuke conceded, knowing it would ryle her up.

She scoffed, though he could still hear her smiling. "You're the worst."

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, leaning his head against the moulding. Biting his lip to keep his smirk down. Clearly recalling saying the same thing to her.

He hummed. "Hn. What else is new?"

She laughed again and Sasuke wished for the millionth time that he could be there with her. Or she could be with him.

"Send me a picture of your favorite ornament? Please." She asked.

Looking at the tree from his spot in the living room, he was already calculating which one he could send her. But, never hoping to miss an opportunity to tease her-

"I don't have one. I dislike them all equally."

"Sasuke!"

He let a breath out of his nose, in an attempt not to laugh. "Hn, hold on."

Looking around the tree for his mother's favorite ornament, he snapped a quick photo of it, sent it to her.

It took her less than a second to start gushing.

"Awwww Sasuke. How old are you in this one?" She cooed.

He hummed. "Maybe five or six."

"You are so cute." She crooned softly.

Even though it was a picture of his five year old self and not the current him, it was flattering. "Yeah?"

"Did you glue this macaroni yourself too?" She giggled.

"Tsk, I wasn't always amazing at everything."

She giggled again, and then sighed. "Ok, well I should go."

Sasuke frowned momentarily but then conceded. "Good night."

"Sweet dreams." She giggled, because she was the sickenly sweetest person he had ever met in his life.

Hanging up, he held the ornament in his hands, observing his kindergarten photo in a border of macaroni. Feeling slightly foolish for showing this one to Hinata, knowing she would like it. Wanting nothing more for Christmas to just be over already. He wanted both of them back in Konoha.

"That was… adorable."

Sasuke froze, his hairs standing on end and swallowed down an audible "shit". Turning to see Itachi, standing at the door to the kitchen.

"Hn?" Sasuke asked instead.

"Evasive as usual." Itachi mused.

Sasuke ignored him, deciding to just head to bed. Itachi is a Dad and is now Santa to five little shits that will be squealing bright and early in the morning. There isn't enough coffee in the state to make Sasuke not be grumpy about it. So to try and minimize the damage, he's going to need his sleep.

"Sasuke." Itachi stops him at the steps.

He looks back at his older brother, getting ready to jam pack the special order stockings his mother has hanging over a fireplace that is only used on Christmas.

"I believe you about Sakura."

Sasuke doesn't know how to explain how much it means to him. His older brother acknowledging and solidifying the new changes in his life. The things that Sasuke has been desperately trying to bring to fruition.

Itachi smiles an old, sage smile of all knowing. "Sounds like you're in for it with the new one too."

Sasuke puts his tongue into his cheek to keep from smiling, embarrassed. He just turns his head and "tsk"s before sauntering back up the steps.

Because he doesn't know how to express his appreciation for that either.


	13. New Year, New Lady

Straw Saga 13

New Year, New Lady

Hinata was giggling in his apartment, holding an intricately wrapped package that was clearly a bottle, and giggling.

Yes. Giggling.

He wasn't even annoyed about it.

"Will you just give it to me?" Sasuke sighed, but his eyes gave him away.

She was pretty when she laughed, and it was quiet and not forced in the slightest.

"Okay." She finally conceded, holding it out to him. "Just admit that you're excited about your present."

Sasuke grasped the wrapped bottle by the neck and snatched it out of her hands. "Is this about me being the Grinch again?" He asked, sounding less than amused.

Both of them zeroed in on the poorly wrapped paper with too much tape trying to make up for crumpled and rips but the paper was clearly black with a scheming Grinch dressed as Santa.

"Whatever could give you that idea?" She smiled innocently.

"Hn." He hummed, jokingly disapproving. "Should I try and save the paper?"

She frowned at him, not appreciating the jokes.

He smirked and opened her gift like she had asked. Tearing off pieces of paper and trying to get annoyed that almost all of it was sticking to his fingers because she had used too much tape, it revealed that it was, in fact a bottle of wine.

"Tomato wine?"

Hinata tried to muffle a little squeal. "They make it in Suna. I saw it and knew you had to try it."

Like usual, in Hinata's presence, Sasuke had to muffle down his smiles. If he didn't, he'd be smiling the entire time she was with him. And he couldn't have that. He wasn't fucking Naruto.

Sasuke got up and grabbed the wine opener and two cups, pouring them each a small glass. They still had dinner plans after all.

"Is it good?" Sasuke asked her.

Hinata shrugged. "I only bought the one bottle. I was waiting for you."

Sasuke had sat back down on his chair but Hinata had stayed standing, and stepped between Sasuke's legs to get closer to him. He put a warm hand around her hip, taking her in.

'Waiting for him?' Ugh, he was definitely getting soft.

They both took a sip.

And paused.

And waited.

Until…

"It taste like pizza toppings." She wrinkled her nose disgusted.

Sasuke tried not to agree.

It was terrible.

She set her glass back down on the table and hung her head in shame. "I'm so sorry about the shitty present."

She had been so excited to give it to him, that Sasuke took another blindingly terrible gulp, just for her sake. "It's not the worst wine I've ever drank."

She laughed a little, but her head still bowed in disappointment.

"Pizza actually sounds good right now." Sasuke started, trying to appear to her foodie nature.

She nodded. "Yeah, we should go."

"But first..."

Sasuke pulled out the little, Tiffany box that he had picked up for her as soon as he had returned to the city.

All the color that has spread across Hinata's cheeks in her embarrassment about the wine suddenly faded to a ghostly white. She looked like she was going to pass out right on his floor.

"It's not a ring." Sasuke said quickly.

She frowned at him, as if to say that it wasn't what she was thinking. But she visibly relaxed after his small explanation. She stood up from the table to take the box from his hand. Ridiculously slow, she eased the lid off to peer down onto the gift.

"You got me earrings?" She asked again. "From Tiffany's?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's not that big of a deal. In fact, Naruto said I was being lame for combining three presents."

"Lame?" She gasped, holding the box closer to her chest, offended. She paused for a second. "Three presents?"

Sasuke nodded.

Noticing that he wasn't giving the explanation, Hinata pressed on for herself. "Christmas?"

He nodded

"My birthday?"

"Hn."

She hummed, chewing her lip in thought, looking down at her earrings. "New Years?"

"Am I supposed to get you a New Year's present?" Sasuke asked, almost tired.

"What, no." She shook her head, almost stuttering. "That's not what I was saying. Just - What's the third reason?"

Sasuke looked back up to her face, noticing again how simplistic her beauty was. How easy it was for her to appeal to him. He glanced away, her Christmas crafts still on his kitchen table.

"For you being my girlfriend." He said it as stiff as he was sitting.

He knew it was supposed to be a question. But, he was never really good at that.

She sucked in a breath, her eyes going wide and mouth forming an 'o'.

"Y-y-y-you-"

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk every time he made her stutter, taking a sick satisfaction in throwing her off kilter.

"Hm?" He taunted.

"You want me to be your girlfriend?" She finally squeaked, cradling the earrings to her chest.

He gave her one nod.

"Really? Me?"

"No, the other you."

"Sasuke." She pouted.

He just smirked at her again, though it slid off easier when he realized she hadn't answered him yet. She was still standing in front of him at the table, so he gently grabbed her closest arm and brought her closer to him, hands coming up to rest on her hips again. He looked up at her, expectant.

Hinata came into him easily again, but continued to cradle the mint blue box reverently, eyes shifting from them back to Sasuke's face.

"Hinata." He couldn't wait anymore without prompting. He needed an answer, preferably affirmative.

"You, like me?" She finally asked, quietly.

Sasuke tried not to groan.

She frowned at him, after he couldn't stop from rolling his eyes.

"You 'like me', like me?" She asked again. "You want me to be your girlfriend?"

Clearly she was looking for more from him than his silence. He needed to give her some startlingly romantic affirmations.

He did his best.

"Yeah." He grumbled.

She bit her plump bottom lip, eyes searching his. Finally, she slowly placed the box of earrings on the table and Sasuke's heart dropped.

He knew. Well, he should've known. Hinata always had a way of denying him when he needed her to say yes. When he desperately wanted her to agree. And here she was doing it again.

As soon as he could taste the bile of rejection, her lips where on his, arms curling around his shoulders, fingers coming up to caress his locks.

A pleasant twist, if he did say so himself.

His kiss since seeing her again after Christmas. He pulled her hips down so she was sitting on one of his legs, one arm coming around to hold her against him. Kissing her like this, with her against his chest, his other arm coming to cup her face -

"Jesus, this is a public space."

Hinata practically leapt off of his knee,face tomato red. "Naruto." She still managed to greet him kindly.

"The fuck do you want." Sasuke greeted, less kindly.

Naruto shrugged and looked into the fridge, sighed wistfully and shut it again. "Ramen it is."

"Hey Naruto." Sasuke cut in.

Naruto turned slowly, looking at his friend in confusion. "...Yes?"

"Go pick us up some pizza. Yes," Sasuke added before Naruto could open his mouth. "You can have some."

Naruto looked at Sasuke again with some scrutiny but ended up just holding his hand out for Sasuke wallet. "I ain't saying no to pizza." Was his only parting words.

"That was sweet of you." Hinata said in surprise after they were finally alone.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

He just wanted Naruto gone. And two birds with one stone, really. He didn't go to seven years of college for nothing.

Hinata had picked up her box of earring and turned to head down Sasuke's hallway.

"And you think you're going… where exactly?" Sasuke snatched her wrist.

Hinata's cheeks lit up again, smiling. "I was going to put my new earrings in."

Sasuke stood up, and walked passed Hinata, dragging her along with him. "Wait on that. I don't want you to lose them in my bed."

He glanced back in time to see Hinata's face blazing.

Entering the room, taking the Tiffany box and laying on his desk, his lips descended on his new girlfriends. Hinata reached up and wrapped her arms around Sasuke, bringing him down almost a foot, not that he minded. Craning his neck was well worth a tongue kiss. But after a few minutes, he reached down to her legging covered bottom and hauled her onto his bed.

Sasuke had brought them to his room for business and he was nothing if not a model employee.

Further heating their making out, deepening their kisses and working her sweater up her stomach, over her chest, the practically tearing it off her head and throwing onto the floor just so he could get a full view of her breasts spilling out of a Demi cup. This time, it was black lace. He had begun to appreciate her utilitarian underwear, cotton feeling sexy against her anyways. But just looking at her tits, plump and spilling out of half cups had Sasuke clenching his hands into fists and reminding himself that he was not in high school anymore. He was a grown adult and he would fondle her titties with at least some semblance of dignity.

"Do you have some this time?" He heard Hinata gasp under him.

He nodded into her breast.

She groaned in response, letting her fingers tangle into his hair. He lifted up, fingers digging into the waistband of her leggings and ripping them and her thong of in one swift movement, leaving them on the floor as well.

Realizing that the condoms were in his beside time on the other side of the bed the they were on, Sasuke dipped down and picked Hinata up, naked legs wrapping around, looking up at him in quiet bemusement as he moved about his room. Reaching the side that he wanted, he let go, watching her drop back to the bed, her breast jiggling in her bra cups.

Quickly unbuckling his pants and grappling out a foil package, getting both free and onto himself. He grabbed Hinata's legs, letting the crook of her knees rest in the crook of his elbows as he gripped her waist, bringing her ass the edge of the bed and lining them up.

He wanted to fuck so hard her tits bounced out of her bra.

He slammed into her, making Hinata cry out, and he wasn't disappointed that only after a couple minutes, her nipples had bounced out and Hinata herself was grabbing them, catching them between two fingers and fondling herself.

It was one of the sexiest things that Sasuke had ever seen and helped push him over the edge.

It was a good thing that they had finished so quickly, because it wasn't a minute after Sasuke had managed to make Hinata climax and redress, that Naruto was back with the pizza.

After tricking Naruto into drinking some of the nasty wine and finally sitting down to eat, Naruto was already coming up with something.

"Now that you guys are like, for reals," Naruto spoke as he was chewing, much to Sasuke's displeasure. "We should do something for New Years."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"Like, with Hinata's friends. And our friends." Naruto tried again.

Sasuke's stomach clenched at thinking of Hinata and Sakura in the same location. Them in close proximity with alcohol seemed like Sasuke's worst nightmare instead of the way to ring in the New Year.

But Hinata's eyes lit up light her diamond stud earrings and Sasuke's heart clench for a different reason.

His first initial thought had been pearls. Her eyes were the same color of pearls, it's seemed like such an easy line to draw. But no, Hinata sparkled to him, as stupid and juvenile as it was. Her eyes weren't flat, pears. They were diamonds.

And those diamonds meant that she was his girlfriend. Hinata was his girlfriend. Not just some girl he was seeing now. She meant something to him. She was special.

He wouldn't worry about Sakura.

"That sounds like fun." Hinata smiled across the table to Naruto, but looked over to Sasuke, almost questioning.

Waiting for his reaction? Or permission?

Sasuke let one hand come up to rest behind Hinata's chair, cupping her back and drawing a lazy circle between her shoulder blades.

"Hn." He agreed.

Both Hinata and Naruto smiled again.

Which is how he found himself at a bar, downtown, with far too many people. Always forgetting that Sasuke hated everyone and everything. How do you let that one slip? He wasn't sure. Probably has something to do with a certain Hyuga with diamond eyes and magic behind.

Turns out, Naruto and Kiba knew each other. Being cops but working in different parts of the city. Tamaki was still acting a little shy towards Sasuke and kept to her known friend group, Temari and Ino apparently being too intimidating for her. Tenten on the other hand didn't seem phased at all by Temari and Ino and was in fact in started a drinking game with Ino that seemed to have no objective or purpose other than to get each other obliterated the quickest. Naruto and Lee were cheering the girls on, Sasuke suspected Naruto was trying to make a move on the other blonde since she had turned up to this party alone.

Sasuke was quite content to sit in a booth, arm wrapped around Hinata and have a semi relaxing conversation with Shikamaru and Temari. Similar drinks as last time, gin and wine, and discussion the economy, of all things.

All and all it was a great night. Hinata had wore her earrings. Sakura hadn't shown up. No complaints.

"Oh, look. It's Shino." Hinata smiled, trying to poke Sasuke out of the booth to greet her friend.

Sasuke's whole body had froze, jaw clenching. He had no reason hate Shino. He was quiet and seemed like a nice person. One of Hinata's dearest friends and coworker.

But he felt like an inferior wolf with a stray trying into infringe on his new mate. A more, well endowed stray.

Thirteen? Really? For fucks sake.

"What, you don't like him?" Shikamaru asked when Hinata was out of earshot.

"It's not that." Sasuke tried to drop the conversation but Shikamaru kept giving him a knowing smirk.

Sasuke clenched his jaw. There was no way in fuck that Sasuke would be admitting his actual reason for his hesitancy to Shino. His thirteen inch hesitancy. But he could give him the 'ole lawyer half truth' to throw him off the train.

"He's Hinata's ex."

"Oh," Temari smirked. "Drama."

"Sasuke knows all about the ex drama." Shikamaru's smirk matched his wife's. "Eh?"

Sasuke ground his teeth, taking another sip. "No drama." He promised.

Not with Hinata and Shino. Not with him and Sakura.

Shikamaru just laugh. Sasuke stood up, having quiet enough of the Nara couple jibbing him, and seeing Choji also arrive whom he knew would want to have his seat. He grabbed Hinata's abandoned wine glass and gave the still laughing couple a one fingered wave and set off to the bar.

Sasuke sized up Shino as they greeted each other. He took small comfort in knowing that he could definitely take the man in a fist fight. Not to mention that he was leagues more handsome. He didn't even need to touch of the subject of money and how much more he made. He crushed Shino in every other aspect of life but…

"Sasuke." Shino greeted him at the bar with a stretched out hand.

"Shino." Sasuke did his best to squeeze tighter than his opponent, but not too tight as to be obvious.

Thirteen fucking inches? Really?

They were now right next to Ino and Tenten who were drunkenly arguing about some kind of outfit combination. Or were they bostriously agreeing? Sasuke didn't care, but he noticed that Lee and Naruto abandoned their ladies to sit with Tamaki and Kiba.

Sasuke handed Hinata her wine and let one hand wrap around her hip lazily pulling close to her.

Hinata looked back to him and smiled, the returned to Shino who didn't even seem phased. This relaxed Sasuke, hoping that Shino and Hinata really were just friends.

Feeling stupid after that thought.

Hinata had said it had been since her freshman year of college. That was at least four years ago. And Hinata had said there was even another boyfriend in between, though Sasuke realizes they have ever discussed that.

Not everyone was him and Sakura. Most people had normal relationships and normal breakups.

Rationally, Hinata had never given him a reason to worry.

His hand on her hip tightening anyways.

After receiving his drink, Shino headed off to Kiba and Tamaki.

Sasuke pulled himself even closer to Hinata in his absence, her body flush against his. "How about we get out of here."

He watched her scan the bar at their preoccupied friends and turned to face him. "Can you drive?" She was looking at the glass of gin in his hand.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"I don't need to yet."

She looked quizzical for a moment, completely stumped until light glittered into her eyes and her cheeks flushed again.

"Uteruses before duderuses!" Tenten screamed after slamming the shot down onto the table.

Ino laughed, cheering her on.

Lee and Naruto were sure to be dejected hearing their new subject of conversation.

"So," Sasuke prompted.

Hinata laced her fingers with his and nodded. "Yes, please."

He tugged her away from the bar. "After you."

Hinata smiled at his chivalry but really it was just an excuse to see her ass again. Not that she needed to know that.

Dropping down a wad of cash, signalling to the bartender, and throwing back the rest of his tumbler before following Hinata out. She stumbled, from tipsiness, heels or just walking around in the dark, he wasn't sure.

Hinata has pushed him against the black car as he tried to fish the keys out of his pocket. She was already unbuttoning his shirt before he could get the door open, planting distracting kisses all along his jaw, standing on her tiptoes and, and then down his neck and chest when she settled back down to her heel height.

Sasuke is almost a hundred percent positive that he would've been able to get the car open in a second if she hadn't been taking his attention away from the task at hand. Not that he could really mind. Her kisses were soft and light and she wasn't leaving behind any trace of herself. Except the tingle he felt from her skin against his skin. Even in her tipsy, forwardness, she was kind and respectful. Who knew those wholesome traits would be Sasuke's turn on?

Or maybe her hand at his belt was the thing giving him an actual hard on.

He got the door opened, popped the front seat and practically shoved her into the back. Almost completely sober, it was still hard to grab the driver side door and pull it closed from that angle. Hinata was also being super helpful by trying to take his pants off, which only put a stupid grin on his face.

Finally getting it closed, he pushed her over to one of the side seats so he could sit in the center. The back windows were all completely tinted, nobody would be able to see in. It was dark outside as well, and the two front seats would also help to block if anyone was walking past. The only truly vulnerable spot was the windshield, Sasuke pulled off his jacket as Hinata straddled his lap and pulled their lips together again. Sasuke slung his jacket around the back of her shoulders. He had immediate plans to hike that dress around her waist and he'd be damned if he left an opportunity for someone else to ogle her ass. It was his now, and he wasn't into sharing.

"Unzip me, please." She whispered through their kisses.

Her hands moved to tug at the low v-neck, exposing her cleavage.

Sasuke grunted a negative, not willing to waste time, fiddling with her zipper. Instead, he hooked a finger into the fabric and exposed her breast, his lips immediately suctioning onto her naked flesh. She gasped, both of her fingers tangling into his thick hair, as he went to work marking her.

Even though he had been appreciative that she didn't do it to him, he had to fill the compulsive desire to do it to her.

Not drunk off liquor, but perhaps just Hinata herself, he didn't stop to consider how hypocritical that was.

Instead, his hands trailed under the jacket, but above her dress and gripped her ass. Hard. Like he'd wanted to all goddamn night.

Hinata moaned again as he began to knead her backside. Her back was arched to press her check closer to him and her butt further into his hands. Sasuke smirked, drooling on her titty. It was nice to know that she wanted him just as bad as he wanted her.

And on the note, he let his hands slide under her dress and yank up upwards, over her hips. Finally grabbing the globes of her ass, skin against skin.

Hinata's phone buzzed on the seat next to him, which was ignored the first time. And the second time. She finally broke their kiss on the third, snatching it up.

"What?" Sasuke asked, starting back up his kisses on her neck.

"Tamaki is worried. I'm just going to tell her I started crying and had to leave." She texted furiously.

Sasuke wasn't quite sure that saying that would console any worried friend but he wasn't one to tell her what to say to her friends.

M"I've heard about this drunk crying before." Sasuke teased instead. "Is there any merit-"

Hinata threw her phone back down into the seat and reached down to Sasuke's belt buckle, effectively shutting him up. Her hands were quickly and nimble and pulling them down faster than Sasuke expected. Fumbling with his jacket pockets in the awkward, seated position, plus Hinata was still wearing the jacket over her shoulders, he tried to fish out a condom, though, forgetting that he was looking in the wrong pocket and grunting, trying to reach the other side.

"After this we should go get pancakes." Hinata suggested in a completely natural, conversation starter.

"Sure." Sasuke continued to look through his pockets.

"Then after you can crash at my place." They were closer to her apartment now anyways.

"Fine." Where the fuck was it?

Hinata read the situation, seeing the lapse it time and took the initiative to stroke his throbbing cock for him. And if you asked Sasuke, he would say, great choice. Finally, ripping the condom out of the abyss of his pocket, tearing it open it open and jimmying it on faster than he thought the latex was designed for.

Frowning at still seeing her thong barring his entrance, but smiling wider than he had in awhile when she reached down and just pushed the cheetah print over and sunk onto him.

"Fuck." He exhaled feeling her completely surround him.

She kissed him hard. His fingers tightened around her shoulders and she went off on him.

The car was filled with grunting and gasping, moaning and an occasional squeak from Hinata when Sasuke surprise tweaked her nipple. She rode him hard and without restraint, and Sasuke willingly drowned in her.

Not even realizing it was midnight until he could hear the fireworks popping outside into the darkness.

"Happy New Year, Sasuke." She panted.

He was going to reply when her mouth was back on his, her hips slamming down against him again, reigniting their previous pace and intensity. He could hear the fireworks continue outside of the car as his hands curled to Hinata's hips, groaning into her mouth, rocking to meet her.

If this was how he was welcoming the New Year, he was definitely, uncharacteristically optimistic about what the year had in store for him.


	14. Who's Your Daddy?

Straw Saga 14

Who's Your Daddy?

"Just say it Sasuke."

He really should've saw this coming.

He knew that Hinata couldn't make very much money teaching. Especially at an inner city, public school. So he really should've expected for her apartment to be so small.

Her kitchen and living room were the same room, and wouldn't even fit Sasuke's bed in it. There was a single couch which looked like it had seen better days, like when Konoha was first founded. They had a tiny TV, that wasn't a flat screen and looked like it weighed as much as Hinata, and it wasn't even on an actual stand, but perched on a coffee table. The kitchen part of the room just looked like a hotel kitchenette with a microwave, two plug in burners, no oven and a mini fridge.

A mini fridge.

What was left of the tiny counter space was pantry items of dry food, since they didn't have an actual pantry.

"It looks-" Sasuke glanced down the hallway. It was so narrow that he wasn't sure it was up to code. "Quaint."

She smiled and breathed out of her nose, probably in an attempt not to snort at him.

Sasuke was only at Hinata's to pick her up for dinner. They were getting more and more adventurous with their cuisine and Hinata had googled at new Shawarma place that was further away then both of their apartments, and would be needing Sasuke's car.

Seeing's how Sasuke had never been up to see Hinata's apartment, and they were officially together, it seemed like it needed to happen, just for a moment.

"Come on, I'll grab my coat and we can go." She gestures toward the back rooms.

Hinata's room was small. Her bed took up almost half of it and it wasn't even a Queen, just a Full. There a rickety desk shoved in the corner and there was photos and crafts on the walls and every available surface. There was an open folder of an additions worksheet that looked like it needed grading. Her closet was bursting with sweaters and the bottom of the closet floor was lined with at least a dozen pairs of different colored clogs.

He really shouldn't have expected anything less.

"You think I'm messy." Hinata smiled, pulling her jacket on.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "It's not terrible." He conceded.

She laughed, lacing her fingers with his and they headed out into the cold.

"I have a question." Hinata started once they were in the warmth of his car.

He glanced over at her. The light was green but not a car was moving. City traffic, after all.

"My dad's birthday is on the 8th, next week. I was wondering if you wanted to come. You can meet my parents and my sister."

She was nervous, he could tell. Her breathing was shallow, her nose was red but her face was white. Fingers wringing in her lap. Chewing her bottom lip. All things that he had picked up on in the last two months.

He let one hand grab one of hers before she broke a finger off.

"The 8th?" He asked.

She nodded smiling.

Sasuke shrugged, nonplus but agreeing. "Why not." He huffed.

Her smile was beautiful.

Sasuke was mildly nervous. He hadn't met a girls parents since, ever. He had known Sakura almost his whole life and hadn't even dealt with them since high school. He definitely didn't meet the parents of the girls he was seeing casually.

"You don't have to go. She gave you enough time for a decent cop out." Naruto finally butted in after complaining too long.

It was true, but Sasuke didn't think he had it in him to disappoint Hinata. Especially because she asked so little of him in the first place.

Hinata's parent's penthouse was in the nicest part of the city, close to were Sasuke's was but about ten blocks closer to the Hokage Mountain. He could only guess at how nice the view would be inside.

It was tall, even by city standards, and looked to be completely mirrored, the glass was so shiny. There was even doormen and Hinata had to sign them in at a desk.

"Come on." She smiled, easily pulling him to the elevator.

An elevator that has a fucking man in there to press the buttons. Because they were so rich they couldn't press their own buttons?

Sasuke was busy, mentally calculating how much money he would need to make to afford a place like this.

Walking up to what Sasuke assumed to be the front door, Hinata stopped him.

"Babe," She breathed softly, bringing her hands up to rest on his shoulders, and gently rubbed down onto his chest. "Relax."

Sasuke obliged, not realizing that he has tensed his shoulders. "I'm fine." Reaching a hand up to catch her wrist. "…babe?" He teased.

Hinata's eyes widened. Even though she was wearing makeup and that was stopping the usual bright red splotches from engulfing her face, he could see it appear down her neck and chest. He couldn't hold in his smirk even if he wanted to.

She gasped, mouth opening and closing a couple of times, eyes cast down at the floor before finally "shhh"ing him.

He bit his lip and followed her to the door.

Sasuke was surprised that she knocked on it. When he went home, it was like he still lived there. He wasn't sure if he had ever knocked on his parents door, unless he had forgot his key.

It wasn't long before a women with a blonde bob was answering the door.

"Oh, Hinata." She smiled warming. "And, is this Sasuke?"

She looked him up and down, and at least pretended to hide her appraisal, but smiled like she was hungry. Sasuke suppressed a groan, blinked slowly to ground himself and stuck out his hand.

"Yes, Sasuke this is my step-mom, Natsu." Hinata smiled as they shook.

"Well, come in, come in." Natsu stepped out of the way and Sasuke followed Hinata into her childhood home.

It was quite a spacious apartment with massive floor to ceiling windows, monochromatic color, clean white lines and smelled of cleaning supplies and air freshener. It looked straight out of some kind of magazine.

"Your Father is on a business call still, but it's no matter, because Hanabi and her… guest have yet to arrive." Natsu explained as Hinata put both her and Sasuke's coats and shoes away.

"That's fine, Natsu." Hinata smiled.

Natsu quickly excused herself to check on the food, leaving Sasuke and Hinata alone in the living room.

"Some place to grow up." Sasuke breathed, hands in his pockets, trying to keep himself from checking the rug for a tag.

He probably couldn't afford it anyways.

He tried not to feel too bitter about that.

Hinata rubbed her cheek self consciously and smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

Sasuke spun around again, noting the effortless portrayal of chic minimalism and modernism, wondering if it would be rude to ask Natsu to redecorate his apartment for him.

"Want me to show you around?" Hinata asked, watching him look around.

Sasuke tried to shrug, nonchalant, but was also eager to see the rest of the place. Hinata looped her arm around one of his,hands still in his pockets and followed after her.

"Do you want to see my bedroom?" She asked, innocent enough, leading them down a hallway.

"My, my, my Hinata. How naughty, inviting a boy to your room."

Hinata looked up at him, slacked jawed, blush burning on her chest again. "Sasuke." She whined.

"Hn," He hummed, "Yes babe?"

She looked down and Sasuke could see the pale, alabaster powder makeup warm, trying to keep down the redness of her skin. She made a little squeak and moved to let go of him, but Sasuke was quick and snatched her hand in his.

He gave her a "lead the way" push, holding down a snicker.

Hinata's bedroom was nothing like her current one in her apartment. This looked much more like the rest of the penthouse. It had white bedding, matching oak furniture, classic, teenage girl Christmas lights, but for some reason, an ungodly amount of photos.

Sasuke thumbed a picture of Hinata in a school uniform, with a thick headband and braces.

Hinata wrinkled her nose at that specific photo but moved further into the room. "I really like photos." She mumbled to herself.

Sasuke could see a lot of Hinata and a girl that had to be her sister. They didn't look anything alike, except for the fact that they had the same exact eyes, and it's not like Hinata's were a common color. The girl was younger, with a thinner face, brownish hair and tanner skin.

"That's Hanabi." She answered his unspoken question.

Sasuke nodded and looked to Hinata's massive bed. It was easily a king, as big as his own and much bigger than Hinata's current one. Above it, was a framed photo, that looked to be very old.

"That one?" She asked, following his eyes.

She crawled onto her old bed with ease and reached up, taking the frame off the hooks and sat down, patting next to her. Sasuke looked at her door, feeling all too much like he was still in high school and her parents were going to bust in any second. He had to remember that he was a full grown adult, a man, and he has railed Hinata before, not just sat on her bed.

Once he was seated next to her, she shifted the photo for him to see.

"That's me," She started off with herself as a reference. She was tiny, a toddler still with hair cut shorter than her chin, standing at the feet of a pregnant women who looked exactly like a taller, thinner, adult Hinata, and she was holding hands of a boy just an inch or so taller then herself with the same, grey eyes. "My Mom." She poked women. "My dad, and his brother, they're twins." It was obvious. "My uncles wife, and Neji."

"This was the last photo of my mom, and aunt and uncle." She spoke softly.

Sasuke cleared his throat, wondering what to say in that situation.

"We were in Kumo, my dad and uncle Hizashi were expanding there and we were in a car accident. I was in a coma, and when I woke up a week later it was just my dad, Neji and a new little sister."

Hinata traced the faces of her mother, aunt and uncle a few times before clearing her throat as well. "Sorry." She said quickly, looking at Sasuke sideways out of the corner of her eyes before turning and placing the photo back.

Sasuke's heart clenched, listening to her apology. He couldn't fathom losing anyone in his family, let alone half of his family in a single night, at such a young age. And why would she apologize to him about it? It's not like she was being ridiculously emotional, which would be excused considering the topic of conversation. Had she really just apologized for telling him?

His hand slid onto her hip, resting there while she centered the photo.

"Neji's smaller than I pictured."

Sasuke smiled as Hinata smiled, rolling her eyes at his attempt of a joke. She got off the bed for a moment, retrieving another photo.

"This is Neji and I at my high school graduation."

Neji look similar to the men in the previous photo and to Hinata herself, who looked much younger in a graduation gown and cap, but also very happy, holding onto her cousin.

Remembering what Hinata had previously said, that Neji has died during her first semester, that this photo of him was only a few months before his death.

Looking at Hinata, there was considerably more pain than the last photo, twisting her plump lips into a grimace. Sasuke's hand returned, this time wrapping around her waist and pulling her tighter against him.

Sasuke didn't understand loss the way Hinata did, wouldn't pretend to, but he knew that if there was any way to make her feel better, Sasuke would do it for her. Someone as kind hearted as Hinata deserved it.

"Knock, knock." Hinata's door slammed open, revealing someone that Sasuke would guess to be Hanabi.

"Hanabi." Hinata smiled.

He guessed right.

"Time for dinner-" The girl stopped and Sasuke's heart dropped for a moment when he thought she was staring at him.

But the other, tanner girl was looking down at Hinata's hands. Quietly, she made her way to Hinata's side of the bed and wordlessly grabbed the photo, handling it with the same care as a newborn baby, placing back on the wall.

There was a reverent silence that Sasuke felt like he was awkwardly entruding on until Hanabi turned around and clapped her hands. "Come on, it's time or dinner."

"Hanabi," Natsu peered at the door. "Does your date have a cold?"

"Date?" Hinata asked, standing from the bed.

"No, he's always like that." Hanabi waved. "And yeah, I can't have you and your new beau stand me up."

'Beau?' Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Hanabi, btw." She threw over her shoulder as they all made their way back to the main room. "You don't need to tell me anything about yourself, I learned ALL of it over Christmas Break."

"Hanabi." Natsu gasped.

Hinata dropped her head, groaning.

So the little sister was sassy?

"Your hair's looking green, Natsu." Hanabi smirked.

Natsu didn't even look back, her blonde bob bouncing with her walk. "Don't even start with me."

Hanabi laughed at some inside joke.

"This is Udon." Hanabi introduced a runny nose college student with a dorky haircut and glasses that was giving Sasuke a starry eyed, hero worship look at was just as bad as that stupid girl crush ones.

Sasuke groaned, picking the seat furthest away from Noodle Soup at the table, though realizing that he was now sitting across from Hanabi and an empty seat on his right at the head of the table that Sasuke knew could only be left for Hinata's Dad.

Fucking great.

They were all already seated when Hiashi Hyuga, CEO of Hyuga Co. and Hinata's dad waltzed in, angrily unbuttoning his cuffs and muttering to himself, not quietly.

"If it's my fucking birthday, who invited these damn clowns." He snapped, slipping into the chair at head, next to Sasuke.

He tuned to Sasuke quickly, while pouring himself a glass of wine, way past the customary five ounce mark.

"Who the fuck are you?" But continued on, not leaving time for answer. "Hinata's new doofus or the Top Ramen kid?"

"Hinata's doofus." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Funny guy." He grumbled into his wine glass.

"Daddy." Hinata wasn't exactly winning but closer than Sasuke was used to hearing her. "Sasuke is my new boyfriend, remember?"

Daddy? The sound of that made Sasuke shiver and was definitely filling that away for later thoughts.

"Yeah and it's Udon, Dad, god." Hanabi huffed, trying to grab the bottle of wine from her father who wasn't allowing it out of his reach.

"Yeah, yeah. It was 'bring your teenage rebellion to dinner' night. Go fucking figure." He shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth, signaling that it was time to eat.

Hinata's hand gripped Sasuke's leg, comforting and protecting, with an apologetic look to match. But honestly Sasuke was just trying to hold in his laughter. He was enjoying Hinata's dad much more than he could have anticipated.

"So, what the fuck do you do, Doofus?"

"Sasuke, Daddy."

"I'm a lawyer. My firm specializes in Petroleum, representing companies like BP." Sasuke replies easily, trying to forget the way Hinata said his name and 'daddy' together so easily.

Hiashi grunted. "Well great. Hinata's dating a professional liar, some stiff asshole and Hanabi's dating a damn puddle. Which ones worse?"

"Daddy." Hinata whined.

God women, could you stop saying that word?

"Dad, Udon is majoring in mathematics."

"Great. So we have a Liar and Loser to add to the table to go along with our Teacher and C Average."

Hanabi scoffed. "C's get degrees."

"C's don't get Companies." Her father countered. "Pass the bread."

Natsu lifted the basket and handed it off to Udon whose hands were shaking.

"You seem tense." Natsu smiled.

"Ehh," Hiashi rolled his porky shoulders. "I was on the phone with that Otsutsuki Fuck for-"

Sasuke could feel every single Hyuga freeze, metal clanking against glass plates, sharply. Natsu looked decidedly pointed at her husband, who had obviously committed some kind of faux paux, but what was more interesting was Hanabi eyeing her sister, who seemed stuck on her own plate.

Sasuke watched the whole exchange, confused with mild fascination.

Udon's hands were still shaking. He needed a tissue. Hiashi was right, poor kid was nothing but a puddle.

Hiashi grabbed a napkin and cleared his throat. "Let's leave work for now. It's suppose to be my damn birthday."

The rest of the dinner was pretty much Hinata's dad grumbling about something and Hinata is one of the other women trying to chide him for it while Sasuke laughed into his glass and Udon looked like he was about to shit himself.

"Thank you so much for coming." Hinata said again as Sasuke walked her back up to her apartment.

Sasuke shrugged her off. "I told you it wasn't a big deal."

He was really just glad that it wasn't as bad as he had expected.

"Well, I just want to thank you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as they came upon Hinata door number.

"How many times, exactly?"

Hinata grabbed her keys out of her ugly blue coat and tossed them around her fingers a few times. "Maybe just one more." She glances up at him through thick eyelashes, shyly. "Maybe, in my room?"

Sasuke swallowed. "Well, if you insist."

After that he was practically dragging her through the tiny apartment to her bedroom. When she shut the door, she practically football tackled him onto her bed, latching onto him, hands in his hair, legs around his waist. One of his own hands went to cup her face, deepening the kiss, the other going to paw at her backside, relishing the feel of it.

After what felt like only a few seconds of making out but already feeling that enough foreplay, he broke for air. "I don't have any condoms."

Hinata pursing her lips, almost frowning, telling Sasuke that she didn't have any either. Trying not to feel too disappointed. He was a grown man. He wouldn't pout.

She stood up off him and Sasuke held in a sigh of disappointment. She held up and hand to him and Sasuke let her pull him off the bed, wondering how he was going to drive across the city with a raging hardon but, he froze when her hands when to his belt.

"Hinata?"

She was unbuckling him with nimble fingers, looking up with a shy smile. "I was thanking you, remember."

Getting the belt off and doing his button easily, hearing the sound of his zipper and then her smooth, soft fingers curling into the hem of his boxers and dragging down, deliciously slow. She kneeled down with them and pushed him back on her bed with a gentle pat to his hips. He obliged quickly, completely at her beck and call.

Her breath was hot against him and her mouth was even hotter. Warm and wet with a slithering tongue and his eyes rolling to the back of skull, head tilting back. Her hand, holding him at the base made him fist her blankets. Her lips becoming squeezing pillows of heaven had his mind melt into a pile of goo and it's only thoughts were 'shit, shit, shit, shit' on loop.

"Hinata." He groaned instead. He was not fully prepared for this and was beyond pleasantly surprised.

She hummed on him and Sasuke was involuntarily digging his fingers into her black hair. 'Don't pull her hair.' He scolded. 'Don't choke her.' Hinata didn't strike him as the women who did this often, she wore clogs and sweaters for fuck sake. So her going down on him felt special, not that he was usually sentimental, but she was giving him a fuzzy feeling in his stomach. But it could be his impending orgasm. He wasn't really in a mind to dissect that though.

Hinata wasn't the type to deepthroat. You could tell that by looking at her. But, you don't need to deep throat to give good head. His stomach muscles spasming in anticipation of his climax was testament enough to that.

"Fuck, Hinata." He groaned again, desperately trying to still his hips that were begging to thrust into her.

"Fuck." He panted. "I'm gonna cum, fuck."

She didn't stop and in fact, continued with vigor, continuing to blow him off. Well, he had warned her. She didn't seem to react when he had finished, catching it in her mouth easily. Sliding off him, mouthful like chipmunk cheeks, she quickly turned to her desk and leaned over where a small trash can was and spit out a mouthful of frothy white.

Quickly pulling his boxers and jeans up, readying himself for her backlash, but none came.

Instead, she looked over at him. Sheepish? Apologetic?

"Sorry." She mumbed. "Um, I'm just not used to doing… that. I'll try and swallow it next time."

Sasuke had grabbed the back of Hinata's head and smashed her mouth into his. Was she apologizing after she just went down on him? He groaned into her mouth.

God, this fucking girl.

Sure, guys pretend to care if a girl swallows or not, but he already came. He's not going to split hairs with whatever the fuck she wants to do with it afterwards. Especially after she just alluded to him being allowed to do it again.

He couldn't stop kissing her.

"Really, thank you for coming again. I think my dad liked you." She smiled.

He snorted.

Finally after a few more minutes of kissing, Hinata sent him home.

The mentally draining day of meeting Hinata's family was really bogging him down by the time he got back to his apartment. He was ready to collapse on the couch and veg out to whatever the channel happened to be on, unsure if he could even make it to his bed.

But upon entering and seeing a familiar pink head sitting on his very spot, he figured the bed would be a better bet.

"Give me back my key." Grumbling, trying to kick off his shoes and rip off his coat at the same time.

"Hello to you too." She took a sip out of one of his mugs.

He wasn't in the mood to fight off Sakura. All he wanted was to go to bed.

"Where's NaruFucker?" Sasuke wanted to make sure there was witnesses around when Sakura attacked him.

He still had no fucking clue how Hinata had forgiven him so easily about having a hickey. Honest to god it was a damn miracle. But Hinata was his girlfriend now, and the "your business is your business" scapegoat she had given him previously wouldn't work again. He was her business and she was his and Sakura Hickeys weren't really invited into the mix.

"He's not here. Look, I just came to talk." She set her mug down on a coaster.

Sasuke snorted. "I'm really tired right now so if we could not do this-"

"I'm pregnant."


	15. Lunch Time

Straw Saga 15

Lunch Time

Tenten was sitting at the foot of Hinata's bed, bowl of cereal perched precariously through thin legs as she dripped droplets of milk onto her friends comforter.

"So, how'd it go with Sasuke meeting your dad?"

Hinata's eyes snapped open, blearily searching for the intruder. Heart beat pounding out of her chest.

"Watch the bowl." Tenten chided, trying to keep it steady as Hinata's legs flailed.

Hinata groaned, trying to sit up but having the blankets held down at her feet. Rubbing her eyes blindly, adjusting to the light, and frowned when they finally focused on her friend.

The brunette smiled, unabashed, taking another bite.

"What are you doing in here?" Hinata's voice was raspy with sleep. "What time is it?"

"Noon, sleeping beauty. You're wasting the day away. Squandering your youth." She spoke through an open mouth of what Hinata would guess to be half chewed Fruit Loops.

Hinata smiled at Tenten's impression of her boyfriend.

"Did you just wake up?" Hinata countered.

Tenten paused, clinking her spoon in her bowl. "Ugh, yeah."

They giggled together.

Hinata reached for her phone, wondering how she had slept through Sasuke's good morning text message. She frowned, quizzically, when she realized that Sasuke hadn't sent her one. Perhaps he had also slept in? It was unusual of him, even on the weekends but he was just a man. His workaholic behaviors were probably just catching up to him, it was probably a well deserved jogging break.

Hinata: Good morning :) 12:03pm.

"So…" Tenten nudged her legs, getting her attention back.

"Hmm?" Hinata resnuggled back into her blankets, but kept her eyes open and trained on her friend.

"How was meeting the fambam?"

"Oh." Hinata yawned again. "It was fine really. Hanabi brought some kid from school. Oh and Dad almost mentioned You-Know-Who." She shuddered at the memory.

"Oh goth." Tenten spoke around another mouthful. "Did Sthasthuke notith?"

Hinata snorted. "I don't know, I hope not."

Tenten swallowed. "So how are you guys? You seem fine."

Hinata nodded into her pillow, brushing the bangs from her eyes. "We're great, actually. He finally came over to judge our castle."

They both took a glance around their beyond tiny living quarters.

"I thought he was supposed to come over after New Years."

"Yeah, he was." Hinata admitted. "But we don't have any condoms here."

"Oh my god, you little nasty freak." Tenten slapped her blanketed leg.

Hinata's face burned but she giggled. "I definitely need to get some."

"Sounds like you got some."

Hinata's face burned as she snorted, covering her eyes in embarrassment.

"Why did you even need condoms? You've been on the pill since I've met you."

Hinata shrugged. "I don't know. He just kind of insinuated the first time we did it that we needed one and he's used one ever since so I didn't want to question him."

"Maybe he has an STD."

"Tenten!" Hinata whined. "He's a lawyer, he's probably just really careful about those things."

"He seems pretty responsible." Tenten conceded.

Hinata nodded. Sasuke was very responsible.

Tenten just shook her head. "You and him, it's just weird."

"Why do you say that?"

The thin woman just shrugged her shoulders, non committedly. "He just… seems like such a dick."

Hinata smiled again.

Sasuke kind of was, honestly. But there was a different side of him. The side that bought her ice cream and brought her cinnamon hot chocolate and took her to Shawarma and sat through her crazy asks family's dinner and didn't have a single complaint. He was nice, to Hinata at least, and had a dry sense of humor that she always found surprisingly funny.

"What?" Tenten taunted. "Are you going to give me the 'you don't know him like I do' spiel?"

Hinata giggled again. "Something like that."

"Idk Hina, he just reminds me an awful lot of Toneri and-"

Tenten was cut off by Hinata flipping over and yelling, muffled, into her pillow.

"Oh could you be any more dramatic?"

"Sasuke is nothing like HIM." She continued, face still smashed in the pillow. "And can we please not talk about him."

Tenten gave her friend a long look before conceding. "Fine." There was a pause before she snuck in a little quick - "Kiba doesn't like him either."

Hinata smiled. "Figures."

Kiba had always held onto the sad pipe dream that Shino and Hinata would get back together, even though they had decided to be just friends years ago. Which meant that Kiba had never liked any person that got in the way of his little plans.

"Oh, speaking of Shino. I need his help with this class I'm planning." She mumbled absent mindedly finally rising from the depths of her pillow.

"We weren't even talking about Shino."

Finally sitting up and stretching, Hinata yawned. "I'm gonna text him."

Shino texted back within seconds agreeing to lunch, making Hinata just a tad more bummed out about Sasuke's radio silence.

"Ugh!" Hinata moaned, falling back into bed. "Now I have to get up."

Tenten just laughed, finally got off her bed. "Me too. I was supposed to meet Lee at the gym twenty minutes ago."

Both girls glanced at Tenten's unkempt hair, baggy T-shirt, bare legs, cereal bowl in hand and laughed again.

It wasn't twenty minutes later that Hinata was walking down in the frigid January air, blue jacket zipped up tight to her chin, lavender knit hat and scarf donned and hands jammed into pockets. An inner mantra of 'cold, cold, cold' blared in her mind as her teeth chattered.

Sasuke always picking her up was making her soft.

When she rounded onto Shino's block, him and Kiba were out waiting for her. Walking in downtown Konoha with both of them made Hinata feel like she was back in college again.

"I'm glad you could come with us Kiba." Hinata smiled.

The shops and restaurants were packed, as usual. The cold weather did nothing for the crowds. Making their way through the city to a little cafe Kiba had suggested, hearing about it from a friend at work.

"Whoa, holy shit. There's Hinata's jackass." Kiba stopped dead in his tracks, halting Hinata and Shino along with him.

"What?" Shino pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Hinata's eyes followed Kiba and easily and spotted Sasuke's thick mass of unruly black hair through a restaurant window.

"Please don't call him that." Hinata pouted.

Sasuke usually tried so hard during the week to tame his hair, since he worked in such a professional environment, but it was Saturday. Said hair was stuck out it wild spikes every which way. Hinata's fingers could practically feel his locks tight in her fists.

"Is he on a date?" Kiba sneared.

"That's Naruto, Ino and Sakura… I think." Because honestly Hinata had only seen Sakura the one time, and she had been drinking at Drunks Spending as well. "They're just his friends."

"Yeah, sure, okay." Kiba sneared.

"Kiba, were eating lunch with Hinata." Shino pointed out.

Hinata hugged her jacket further around herself as someone bumped passed them, reminding her that they were still standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

"It's different. There's an odd number of us so it's fine. If there's evens, it's a date."

Shino and Hinata looked to each other with blank expressions, choosing to suppress the information that Kiba had been invited as an afterthought. Not to mention the hundreds of strictly platonic outings with Tamaki or Tenten there as well.

"Your being ridiculous." Shino scoffed.

Kiba ignored him. "Did he even tell you he was going to lunch with these "friends"?" He made air quotation around the word reminding Hinata of high school.

"I didn't tell him I was going to lunch with you guys."

Not that she even had the opportunity. Sasuke still hadn't texted back.

"I think your new line of work has made you edgy." Shino sounded bored, and if not a little annoyed as someone else shoved passed him.

"Maybe I should call him and say 'hi'." Hinata mused.

It was a good excuse to try and talk to him again. She had never thought of herself as clingy before, usually loving her own time and space. But, with Sasuke, she felt like she was really just counting the amount of time until she was with him again.

The phone rang a few times before she even saw Sasuke react. On the third ring, Sasuke glance at him phone… and set it back down. She could hear it continuing to ring on her end as he went back to staring, blank faced at his friends.

"What a fucking jackass." Kiba snarled.

There was a slimy feeling in her stomach, actually watching her own call be ignored. She cut the call short before it could go to his voicemail.

"Perhaps he doesn't want to be rude?" Shino guessed.

Hinata nodded.

But she's seen how Sasuke treats Naruto and company. He wouldn't spare their feelings a second glance before he stomped them into the dirt, let alone answer a call at the table.

A call from his girlfriend.

Kiba and Shino continued to argue.

"Kiba, you've hung up on Tamaki before."

"If you're referencing that time during the Mario Kart tournament, she completely understood!"

Taking a shallow breath, Hinata plastered a smile on her face. She grabbed Shino's arm and drug him along, knowing Kiba would follow.

"Hey!" Kiba not quite appreciating being left behind.

Hinata waited until they were closer to passing by Sasuke to turn and smile at Kiba. Now that he had obviously ignored her, she felt too shy to actually catch his eye. What would she say to him anyways?

"Come on-"

The sound of something hitting the glass next to her made her almost jump out of her skin. Her arm tightened around Shino, shoulders tensed and she felt like a startled cat.

Sasuke's knuckles were on the window, his face similar to his normal, impassive look, but eyebrows raised. Surprised to see her, perhaps? He held up a finger, asking her to wait as he stood up and turned and physically kicked Naruto's chair out of his way.

Both Ino and Sakura looked like they were trying to hide horrified expressions at seeing her. Hinata gave a pathetically small wave at them, trying her best to be polite. Naruto waved and smiled back in return, but when he looked decidedly more stressed than usual.

"Hinata."

She hadn't even noticed Sasuke exit the restaurant until he was only a couple feet from her.

"Weird seeing you." Hinata greeted. "We were just getting lunch."

"Hn." Sasuke nodded. "Same."

His eyes traveled down to Hinata's arm laced with Shino's. She could feel her face redden as she quickly let go.

Unsure of what to do in this situation, she moved to give him an awkward hug but he grabbed her arm, stopping her. Shocked and a little stung at the rejection, she opened her mouth to apologize but felt Sasuke warm mouth slam into hers.

It was a surprisingly heated kiss, even though it was over in a moment. Hinata looked up at him confused but before she should try and match her voice to words, Sasuke was already letting go to take a step backwards.

"Dinner."

Hinata smiled, having realized that his statements were just direct questions.

She nodded.

"I'll call you." He promised and turned without a smile and without acknowledging either Shino and Kiba.

Blushing and beyond confused, Hinata turned to give a goodbye wave to Naruto and the girls. Naruto waved back again, enthusiastic but his smile a little pinched. Ino gave a tiny wave, one arm around Sakura's shoulder who was staring down at her plate, pushing around a fork, almost dejected looking and blatantly ignoring her.

"I don't even know how you stand him." Kiba grumbled, coming up beside her and grabbing an elbow, pulling her along.

The rest of lunch was uneventful. Though Kiba was less than helpful in planning Hinata's science class. He did volunteer to come in and talk about his line of work, and Hinata knew her class would love to see actual police men.

It wasn't until much, much later in the evening when Sasuke called. She was almost completely done with her entire weekends worth of work, having been used to spending most of her time with Sasuke. She was at least proud that she used her alone time for productivity.

Sasuke was still acting weird by the time Hinata had got over to his place.

Naruto was gone at work and it was just the two of them, and Sasuke was making dinner.

"Who doesn't like shrimp?" Sasuke grumbled, stirring his sauce.

Hinata blushed again, tugging on her Konoha U crew neck, leaning against his counter.

"I already told you I don't mind if you put them in."

Sasuke's shoulders were tense, his facial expression dark. On a good day, he wasn't a Chatty Cathy, but he seemed extra sour and moody.

And Naruto wasn't even around bothering him.

Hinata bit her lip, wondering how she could make him feel better. She stepped close to run his back, but he seemed altogether unaffected by it.

"Is there something at work?" Hinata asked quietly.

"Works fine."

Hmm, Hinata paused, continuing the rub the broad expanse of his shoulders.

"My friend, Sakura, is getting an abortion. That's what we were talking about at lunch."

Hinata's hand froze. Regardless of being pro-choice or pro-life, she felt like it was an icy subject. Did Sakura see no problem in getting one, exercising her woman's right to choose? Hinata doubted it, if her glum behavior was anything to go by when she saw her through the window. It was just a glance though.

"Is she okay?" Hinata decided to ask.

"She fine." Sasuke quipped, a little too quickly.

"Okay."

It was beyond obvious that Sasuke didn't want to talk about it anymore. Hinata took a step back, decided to give him some space.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke turned to look at her, going back to her previous door against the counter.

Hinata looked down, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. "Sorry, you seem grumpy… and-"

Sasuke flicked burners off, leaving the food behind.

"No, I'm really hungry - ahh!"

Sasuke had grabbed her waist and hauled her onto the counter, standing between her legs. "Today was just more stressful than I anticipated." He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "But there was something I wanted to ask you."

His fingers moved up from her hips and ghosted across her cheek, fingering the earrings he had gifted her.

"You should spend the night."

Hinata's cheeks burned and she smiled. Stomachs somersaulting at his invitation. It had been awhile since she had slept actually spent the night. New Years partially counted as she had got there around 1am and left around 5 or 6, but this was the first time he was actually asking her.

"That wasn't a question." She bit her lip.

"Hn." Sasuke pursed his in mock annoyance. "So, yes."

"I don't have any pajamas."

Sasuke gave her another kiss, this time lingering a little longer then her previous one. "You won't need them." He promised.

Her cheeks burned hotter.

"I don't have a toothbrush."

"Out of all the things we've done, you draw the line at sharing a toothbrush?"

Hinata gasped at his smirk as he kissed her again.

"It's settled then." He abandoned her, going back to the stove.

Cheeks still burning, but going back to snuggling against his back she sighed. "Are you still mad about the shrimp?"

"Yes, what is wrong with you?"

"I told you that you could put them in!"

"It's fine, you can make it up to me tonight." He smirked.


	16. Mother-Fucker-Suke

Straw Saga 15

Mother-Fucker-Suke

Sasuke had few regrets in life.

He had a stable, high paying job. His good grades and nerdiness in high school gave him scholarships so his school loans were minimal and easily paid off. He had a cool car. He had a fancy apartment. He only saw his family a few times a year. He had equally annoying but devoted friends.

And now he had Hinata.

His life was essentially perfect.

So of course he would have to fuck it up himself. Of fucking course, he would.

Poor Hinata, who knew there was something bothering him and was just too respectful of his space to ask him what the fuck was wrong. He had tried his best to push back his thoughts and enjoy spending time with her like he wanted to. But it was easier said than done.

Hinata had passed on breakfast, just drinking a glass of hot chocolate. "Tenten wanted me to go to the gym with her today." Her expression was comically pained.

Sasuke had given her a kiss goodbye and planned on getting a start on the neglected work documents he had been ignoring this weekend in light of Sakura's bomb shell.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Naruto trudged back into the room, dumping his coat off on a kitchen chair, completely ignoring the fucking coat closet.

The closet designated for the god damn coats.

"Oh, hey there's hot chocolate."

Sasuke snatched it off the counter. "Don't fucking touch it."

Naruto watched him put the canister in the cupboard with a frown. "Why'd you even buy it? You're not going to-" He paused, letting his frown morph into a super sneaky, shit eating smirk. "You got it for Hinata."

"Yeah, dumbass. So don't touch it."

"Speaking of Hinata," Naruto started.

Sasuke closed his eyes slowly, already feeling the migraine returning from yesterday.

"Like, doesn't it feel weird keeping everything from her like this?"

"No."

"Dude, like she's your girlfriend. Don't you-"

"Precisely." Sasuke snapped. "Hinata is my girlfriend. The last thing I want to tell her is my ex-girlfriend is pregnant. Especially because there's no fucking way that it's mine. And especially because this happened before Hinata and I were even together."

Naruto opened his mouth again but Sasuke huffed.

"No." He glared. "How stupid would that fucking be? What would I even say? 'Hey, before we started dating, I woke up naked with my ex and now ten weeks later she's telling me she's pregnant but she admitted to cheating on me and regularly fucking someone else SO don't worry it's probably not mine.'?"

Naruto flinch a little. "Well, I'm sure you could word it better than that."

Sasuke scoffed. "Hinata's a saint, but I don't think there's any trick from law school I could use to make that conversation go any way but terrible."

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno man-"

Sasuke rubbed his hands down his face. "Look. It doesn't fucking matter. She's getting an abortion. Whether it's mine or Kakashi's is irrelevant." Sasuke turned to rummage through his cabinet for the Advil. "And Hinata wont find out."

"But, Ino said Sakura's pretty upset. What if she changes her mind?"

"Sakura chose the abortion on her own. She told me immediately after telling me she was pregnant. She honestly should've lead with it."

"God, you're a dick." Naruto slumped down into one of the kitchen chairs.

"Sakura point blank told me she was cheating on me. For months. How am I the bad guy in this situation?"

"I'm just saying, you could be more sensitive. Or sympathetic."

Sasuke wanted to bash his face into the sink. Grabbing the closest cup, a stemless wine glass, and downing four too many Advil with the tap water, he joined Naruto at the table.

"I listened to her crying on my fucking couch for two hours. I went to lunch with you and Ino when she made her doctor appointment. I told her I would come and be there. What more do you want from me?"

Naruto glared at him. "You're supposed to do that. You're her fucking friend."

"No. You and Ino are her friends. I'm her ex-boyfriend. In fact, I'm going above and beyond ex-boyfriend duties here. She should be thanking me."

"God you really are a prick."

"Yeah." Sasuke replied easily. "And you're a fucking idiot."

"No, you're the idiot. You and Sakura have always been friends first. And you'll always be friends."

Sasuke went to open his mouth but Naruto cut him off.

"No fucker. I get you're with Hinata now. And she's great. A literal angel. She honestly too good for you. Don't let that one go. Truthfully I'm jealous. I've been trying to get into Ino's pants and she's so high strung I can't even… sorry off the subject." He shook his hair out of his eyes. "Once you stop being mad at Sakura, you know she's going to be your friend forever."

"Aww, is she my BFF?" Sasuke sneered.

"Bitch please, we're BFFs. She's there one the side."

Sasuke snorted, genuinely smiling. "You're such a loser."

"Aaaaye." Naruto laughed.

Sasuke yawned, not getting much sleep last night.

"So, wanna play Call of Duty?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke really should start on his work. Naruto himself looked dead on his feet, dark bags under his eyes from a twelve hour patrol shift.

"I get the fucking red controller."

Naruto groaned. "Damn it."

Sakura's appointment was scheduled for Friday and for some reason, Sakura felt it pertinent that Sasuke attend. And honestly, he was more than happy to have first hand knowledge that the deed was in fact done. The piece of mind knowing that the situation would be forever wiped off of his conscious was well worth the awkwardness it was sure to exude.

What Sasuke didn't like, was Sakura's constant need to call him.

All the time and in all hours of the day and night. He had taken to turning his phone to silent when with Hinata, which was thankfully more and more often. They had finally been spending small amounts of time together after weeks days, and even though Sasuke wouldn't trade watching mindless TV on the couch with Hinata, it was leading him to miss some important work calls. Not that it was Hinata's fault.

But Sasuke was beyond happy when Friday finally rolled around.

Unfortunately, he had to leave work early on Friday. And if there was anything worse than feeling like a slacker at work, it was spending time with Sakura.

"You're ignoring my phone calls."

Sasuke sighed. "Hn."

The clinic waiting room held various random people, sitting, awkwardly congregated together. There was only a chair separating Sasuke from Sakura and Ino, and he could've done with a couple more if he was being honest.

Her jaw dropped open. "You, you just admit to ignoring me?"

Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. He could definitely go for a shot of espresso right now. Or a shot of something stronger.

"How far away is Naruto?" Sasuke glanced over at Ino.

"He said he'd be right here."

"Hn."

Sasuke was torn between wanting Naruto to get there as quickly as possible or for him to stop for shots.

"Haruno." A heavy set nurse with pink cartoon scrubs, called out of the only other door the room had, besides the exit.

"Naruto's not here yet." Sakura's muttered, quietly.

Sakura looked like she was about to bolt out of the room. "I guess, I go-"

Sasuke almost stiff-armed her in the throat. He didn't play linebacker in high school but there was no way he was letting her out of the building easily.

"I'll go call Naruto."

He could make sure she stayed AND he could have some shelter from how suffocating the awkwardness was becoming.

Headed the opposite direction of the girls, and out of the clinic and into the hallway. Grabbing his phone out, he noticed that it was already ringing.

And it was Hinata.

"Hello?" He smiled.

"Oh," She gasped. "It didn't even hear it ring, that's so weird."

"Hn." He had answered in relatively quickly.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't have a lot of my lunch time left and was just going to leave you a voicemail, I didn't mean to bother you." She apologized.

Technically, he was supposed to be tracking down Naruto so his ex could have an abortion. "No bother." Imagining her shy little blush at him answering so quickly was good enough for him.

"Shino just invited me to this game night that we have sometimes. And I was wondering if you wanted to come."

Her voice was always so soft, but there was a tinge of uncertainty near the end. Like she wasn't sure he'd agree.

"What time?"

"Probably late. Around 8ish. It's okay if you're busy-"

Sasuke could see Naruto headed down the hall, brushing hair out of his exhausted looking face, brightening up when their eyes met, waving. "Oi, Sasuke!"

"I'll pick you up." He promised quickly. "I have to go."

"Okay, have a good rest of the day."

Sasuke's heart clenched at the sincerity of her statement. He paused, wishing he could say more. Anything. Just to keep talking to her. In fact, it would've been nicer to see her right now, instead of be here. He could've brought her a hot chocolate, and a snickerdoodle. He had saw some at a street vendor on the way to the clinic, made as big as his face. Immediately he had thought of her. The way her face would light up when he gave it to her.

He'd buy her one on the way home.

His voice was softer then he was use to using. "You too." He forced himself to hang up as Naruto reached him.

"What are you doing out here?" Naruto asked, gesturing to the clinic door.

"You're late." Sasuke countered, turning on his heels.

It was eight hours later when he was finally able to pick her up.

"You got me a cookie?"

Sasuke "Hn"ed as he saw her light up. He handed it to her as soon as she slid into the car. She smiled, looking up and him and then, slowly leaned over and kissed him on the jaw.

"Thank you." She immediately starting unwrapping it.

He bit into his cheek.

The drive over was quicker than he expected, not realizing that they lived in the same part of town. Honestly they could've walked but Sasuke didn't mind coming to get her. She held his hand when he wasn't gear shifting and she told him a story about one of her students during math time, and she munched her cookie gratefully. "Oh, it's snickerdoodle. Sasuke they're my favorite. How'd you know." And he just smirked, mostly to himself as he rubbed a soft pattern on her hand.

Kiba greeted them at the door.

"Oh, look. It's Kosuke."

Hinata frowned. "You met SA-suke at New Years, Kiba."

"Apologies, Rensuke."

Hinata did her best glare, which was so pathetic that Sasuke almost laughed. She turned back to him, apologetic but Sasuke just pushed her inside the apartment, hand remaining firm on her lower back.

He saw Tamaki, who had come up behind Lina at the door, swatting his arm lightly. "Behave." She hissed, leading them into the apartment.

Their apartment was on the smaller side as well, but still nicer than Hinata and Tenten's, the carpet looked to be from this decade the the furniture looked like it came from an actual store and not the dumpster of a Salvation Army. It still didn't hold a candle to his own apartment, but not many places did.

Crowded around a small, round table were Shino, Tenten and Lee, who all greeted Sasuke much nicer than Kiba had. Sasuke let Hinata scoot in close to Shino and he took the seat next to her.

"I'll grab you some wine, Hina." Tamaki smiled, scooting further into the kitchen.

"A beer, Daisuke?" Kiba asked, sitting down, leaving the space between him and Sasuke empty.

Shino paused in his deck dealing, shifting his glasses higher onto his nose, awkwardly. Lee glanced between them nervous as Tenten promptly kicked him in the shins. He swore under his breath, glaring at her.

Tamaki smiled, pointedly ignoring Kiba. "I'll get you one Sasuke."

Hinata let her arm around Sasuke's chair back, softly rubbing his shoulder blades. Her fingers playing affectionate notes across him. He forced down a smile, realizing her territorial protectiveness and appreciating her small gesture.

He squeezed her thigh under the table in return.

The evening wasn't terrible in Sasuke opinion. Tamaki made nachos, and Lee was mildly entertaining. Shino seemed to be interested in Sasuke's line of work and questioned him about it occasionally.

Sasuke thought that Shino and him could've been friends if not for the fact that he had a very intimate knowledge of the ridiculous size of his dick. And that he had fucked Hinata with it.

Kiba on the other hand, was determined to only talk about past memories that didn't involve Sasuke at all, for the entirety of the night.

"Remember when Hinata, Shino and I got stuck on that overnight train."

"Remember when we went backpacking in Iwa that one spring break."

"Hey, 'member that time we went to go visit Hinata in Kumo."

"Oh, what about that time Hinata got too drunk at rush week."

Sasuke knew that by the looks of the people at the table, that Kiba wasn't usually this obnoxious.

And honestly if Sasuke could look past how fucking annoying he was being, he was learning some pretty weird and funny fact about Hinata.

"Remember when our RA caught Hinata in our room past curfew because we were high and tried to sneak out to McDonald's?"

Sasuke glanced over at Hinata.

Her face was lobster red, her voice sputtering.

"We didn't get caught for McDonald's. We got caught for our porn being too loud." Shino replied smoothly.

Sasuke's eyes widened a little too far at this information.

"What," Kiba smirked in victory. "Hinata doesn't watch porn with you, Hansuke?"

"In his defense, Hinata never 'wants' to watch it with you either." Tenten snapped.

The completely mortified and humiliated look on Hinata's face was the only thing that seemed to quell Sasuke's annoyance at Kiba. She looked completely distraught and almost sickly.

Kiba, reminding Sasuke entirely too much of Naruto and Sakura, knew that the only thing he was waiting for was Sasuke's own retort. So instead of giving in, her leaned over to Hinata, and barley above a whisper, pressed his lips against his ear. "Have you been holding out on me Hina?"

Her eyes snapped up to him, looking wide but not altogether displeased, her blush nor yet disappearing.

Lee snorted across the table, trying to keep down a girlish giggle.

"Draw ah-three!" Tenten shouted in what Sasuke could only describe as the worst, drunken Mario and Luigi impersonation he'd ever heard.

"No," Hinata pouted. "I get the accent card now."

They were playing a game similar to Uno, but with phase cards, while simultaneously playing a completely different card game that had them doing random tasks. Any mess up in either game resulted in a drink. Since Sasuke drove, he had been paying extra attention to both of the ridiculous games, and paired with Kiba's annoying voice, he was starting to get a headache.

And it didn't help that not twenty minutes after they arrived, Sakura had started calling him.

She hadn't stopped.

"Okay, you have to talk like Lee's step-Dad." Tenten giggled.

Everyone at the table agreed.

Hinata pouted a little. "Youthful." Her voice was an octave lower than usual.

By the chorus of laughter, Sasuke assumes that she had hit it on the mark.

"But anyways, Kensuke. Hinata's into some really kinky shit."

"No I'm not." She snapped quickly.

"Drink." Lee mooed.

She frowned, taking a sip.

"Yeah, that's why you took that condon. Little nasty." Kiba laughed loudly, startling his dog out from under the table.

"You made me take it!" Hinata gasped.

"Drink." Lee and Tenten called together.

She groaned, taking another sip.

It definitely explained why she had that condom. He had always wondered why she was just carrying it around with her, and only that one specific time.

"Ryosuke, has Hinata told you about Shino-"

"Kiba!" Hinata yelled.

"Drink." They sang.

"Can you cut it out?" Tamaki whispered.

Sasuke phone buzzed in his pocket again as he turned to look at Hinata. Her cheeks were permanently red, from embarrassment, frustration, inebriation or some kind of combination. She was pouting, eyes cast down to her cards that she was holding too sloppily and far out. She looked dangerously close to crying. It was almost eleven and he had a full headache himself.

"Shusuke,"

"I have to take this call." Sasuke pulled out his phone, looking for anyway to take a break from this evening.

"I thought it was easy for you to ignore phone calls."

Everyone grew deadly silent as the collective group tried to kill Kiba through deadly eye glares.

"What?" He snapped defensively. "I'm just saying-"

"Go take your call, babe!" Hinata practically screamed over Kiba's voice, pushing Sasuke out of his seat.

"Drink!"

"I know." Hinata sighed.

"You might want to stop taking." Sasuke tried to say as gently as possible.

Hinata nodded in agreement. "Youthful." She muttered weakly.

Sasuke was all too happy to make his way outside. The cold, city air clear his head almost in seconds, compared to the stuffy kitchen. Sounds of the city were soothing compared to Kiba's non stop taking. And Sasuke thought Naruto was a loud mouth. Sasuke had half a mind to stop and buy some Top Ramen on the way home for his stupid friend, only idly wondering why he seemed to be in such a giving mood today.

His phone rang again.

"You've called me fifteen times in the last hour." He practically spit into the speaker.

He could hear a choked whimper. She was crying. "I-I just…"

Sasuke leaned against the door, trying to slow his breathing.

"Just tell me you're happy." She finally managed to get out. "Happy I did it." Her breathing was uneven and caught at the end.

He purses his lips in thought.

Sakura was never this easy. Never so open with what she wanted. She twisted words and situations and picked them apart and pieced them to make whatever she wanted. Sasuke knew this intimately.

So he knew he definitely shouldn't say that he was happy right now.

"I," He paused, shifting his jaw in thought. "I don't find happiness in your misfortune."

She choked out a laugh. "God your such a fucking lawyer. Just tell me your happy that I did it. So one of us can be."

Thinking of Hinata inside with all of her friends, waiting for him to come back. That even with Kiba being a complete dick all evening, he rather be inside, with Hinata's arm wrapped around the back of his chair, in her cute little way she was perfecting him. He didn't even mind half of what kiba was saying, the random memories he was spitting out actually seemed to make Hinata pretty happy until he was embarrassing her.

But he's standing in the cold hallway, dealing with Sakura, once again.

Not seeing Hinata nostalgic smile. Or her pouty, drunk lips at losing so often. Or even the way she said "Youthful."

What was up with that word anyways?

"Sakura." He breathed through his nose. "I'm sorry you fucked around and got pregnant. I'm sorry the guy wasn't there for you. I'm sorry that you were conflicted about your job and parenthood. And if you want to blame me. Fine. Because I am happy right now. Is that what you want from me?"

The door behind him opened and he twisted around, quickly.

Kiba, stood, staring pointedly at him.

Sakura had already started screaming.

"If there's anything else, you can leave me a message at my work phone. I'll be in touch Monday.

Sasuke hung up, finally sizing Kiba up.

"Just checking and making sure you weren't getting mugged." Kiba spoke like he wouldn't take great enjoyment in Sasuke getting robbed outside.

Sasuke's phone rang again and without looking he knew it was Sakura.

"Difficult client?" Kiba sneered and Sasuke knew that he didn't entirely believe him.

"Like you wouldn't believe." He switched his ringer on silent.

He moved to walk back inside but Kiba stood his ground, arms folding over his chest.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

He had been making a conscious effort to not entertain Kiba's attitude, but Sakura had just broken the levies and if Kiba wanted it, Sasuke had no qualms with unleashing it.

"Listen fuckboy-suke," Kiba snarled.

Sasuke pocketed his phone. He'd need both hands. Squaring his body and tilting his jaw. "Hn?" It was a sarcastic invitation, and didn't even pretend to hide the snide smirk that was forming on his lips.

"If you-"

"Kiba? Why are you letting the cold in?" Tamaki popped up next to Kiba. "Oh Sasuke, are you finished? You just missed Hinata lose again." The brunette smiled, putting her hand on her boyfriends arm, pulling him back into the house.

Kiba smiled. "Oh no Tama, Sasuke has to go."

Tamaki turned, frowning a little. "Man, Hinata was right. You are really dedicated to your work."

Sasuke's fingers turned to fists, pressing his lips together.

"Hinata!" Tamaki turned. "Sasuke's leaving!"

He could hear Hinata 'eep' from inside the apartment and some scuffling behind Tamaki and Kiba, who turned to see her join them in the now crowded entry way.

"You're leaving too?" Kiba practically gasped. The triumphant, haughty sneer he'd been holding since basically kicking Sasuke out, was nowhere to be found.

She was bent over, trying to get one of her boots on and not having a successful time. "Well," She leaned against one of the walls for support. "If Sasuke's leaving…"

"You can stay here if you want." Sasuke knew Kiba was grasping at straws now.

Hinata smiled, up through her bangs. "Thank you. But I'd rather snuggle Sasuke than Akamaru."

Sasuke smiled as Hinata finally made it across the threshold, struggling to get her coat on.

"Are you spending the night?"

Hinata froze, looking up at him. Mortified. "Oh-" She swallowed down a breath. "Did I just invite myself?" She squeaked, now ghostly white.

He grabbed the back of her jacket and help pull it up, and then wrapped an arm around her, throwing a lazy wave back at the apartment.

She fiddled with her zipper, still not looking up at him. Sasuke leaned his face down and nuzzled the side of her head affectionately. Hinata always looked like a disappointed toddler when she was put out. It was cute, and amusing.

But the real part of him couldn't even enjoy it.

"You can always invite yourself..." He spoke against her hair. "Babe."

Her face turned crimson.

"Can you get your coat?" He tried not to snort.

"No." She admitted, quietly.

Sighing, he let go of her and turned her around, grabbing the hem of her jacket out of her hands. He fit the zipper quickly, zipping her all the way to her chin, finally looking at her face.

She was fully flushed again, eyes looking down and blinking through soft, think lashes. Even though she was biting her lip it was cracking into a shy smile.

"Thank you." She giggled through a whisper.

"Hn." Arm wrapped around her, leading her back into the city.

Much better.

"Now, what did Kiba say about you thing kinky?"


	17. Why You So Obsessed With Me?

Straw Saga 17

Why You So Obsessed With Me?

"I'm sorry about Kiba." She finally broke the easy silence between them during the drive to his apartment.

Sasuke held down a smirk. "Hn?" A sarcastic question; 'What could you possibly be referring to?'

She smiled, immediately, holding down a giggle. "Honestly he's a brat most of the time." She said, gravely. "He's just not usually that bad."

Sasuke wanted to ask why tonight had been different. And also why Kiba had been so angry at him personally. For a moment, during the evening, he had thought that Kiba was jealous. It would be just Sasuke's luck that one of her friends would be in love with her. But Tamaki and Kiba seemed happy enough, and it was Shino that was Hinata's ex to worry about. Not that either Hinata or her friend had given him any reason to worry, from what he observed, he saw nothing but platonic friendship.

He wondered if Sakura and him could even have that easy of a friendship.

He doubted it.

"It's almost not even his fault. He's a youngest child. Just nature that's he's a little bratty." She bit into her cookie.

"Hn?" Sasuke hummed again, a teasing smirk curled on the edges of his lips.

"Yeah, his - Oh no!" She squeaked finally turning in her seat to face him. "No babe." She cried, guilty.

Sasuke couldn't fight his smirk anymore as she abandoned the cookie in her lap and snatched his hand in both of hers.

"I didn't mean you." Her eyes looked shiny and face so comically terrified.

"Ah." Sasuke fought down his laugh. "Of course."

She rubbed his hand softly, looking at him with scrutinizing eyes. "Sasuke."

She whined softly. It wasn't too loud or drawn out, never over the top. But it was enough to send a shiver down Sasuke's spine as he side eyed her.

Her hair was down and straight, eyes wide and unblinking, worriedly searching his face for any sign of him being offended at her inadvertently calling him a brat. Her lips, full and slightly parted, Sasuke licked his own lips, lightly in anticipation.

"Hn." Sasuke hummed, pensively. "Maybe," He paused to look away from her, pulling into his parking space. "You should make it up to me."

Hinata bit her lip, the apples of her cheeks slowly becoming more pronounced as she tried to fight down her smile. Sasuke felt like swooning himself when he saw her eyes sparkle.

"Right now?" She asked carefully.

Sasuke had to bite his tongue instead of grown out loud. That sounded hot as fuck, but - "Jesus, people entrust you with their children." He 'tch'ed. "We are outside."

Hinata's face burned as she dropped his hand like a hot potato. She turned, grabbing her cookie and exited the car. She looked pretty keen on stomping away from him but Sasuke couldn't help but stare.

He was in deep.

Really, really deep.

Her bottom lip was pouted out, her cheeks were flushed, her hips were swaying as she walked ahead of him into his building. She decided to take the stairs and Sasuke followed suit, continuing to stare at her ass as she climbed ahead of him. Her eyes would catch his, and hers would sparkle, teasing him as she forced her lips to try and make herself look grumpy.

He's was fucked.

It was his only realization as he continued to stare, unabashedly up at her.

He was fucking fucked.

Sasuke wrapped an arm around her waist as she unlocked the door, unwilling to let her get away when they got in. He locked it down, steel tight grip, dragging her straight in, barely allowing her enough time and room to get her boots and jacket off.

"Hey guys." Naruto popped out from the living room, looking like he was been

playing video games and eating top ramen all day. Which he probably had. "What are you guys-"

"Fuck off dobe." Sasuke steered Hinata down through the hallway.

"Cool, cool, cool." Naruto shuffled back to the couch, not even rolling his eyes. All to familiar with Sasuke.

"Sorry." Hinata smiled, before getting shoved into Sasuke's room.

"Sorry about what Princess?" Sasuke taunted, immediately latching onto her sweater.

She wrinkled her face in mild distaste. "Sorry you're a meanie." Her voice shook with a giggle as she spoke.

Sasuke dipped his head onto her shoulder, placing open mouth kisses on the soft skin near her neck. He hummed, prompting her to continue.

"Sorry you came up with Princess." She whispered teasingly.

Sasuke bit her collar bone, causing her to jump and squeak. "Excuse me, 'babe'." Sasuke's wrapped his arms around Hinata's waist, pushing her towards the bed.

She frowned. "I'm sorry you still don't have curtains."

Sasuke exhaled through his nose, having heard this complaint before. "Yeah, yeah."

He shoved her down onto the bed, watching her bounce lightly before standing over her, unbuttoning his shirt. She propped on her elbows, shamelessly observing him with a little smile and smattering of a blush he could make out through the city lights.

The only reason he hadn't gotten curtains yet. Hinata in this light, was hauntingly beautiful.

Her hands reached up to run down his stomach, which wasn't rippled in muscles but was flat from his aversion of sugar, love of vegetables and disciplined running regiment. Finally ripping the white button up off and and flinging it down next to him, he leaned down, both hands coming up next to her to brace himself, going in for a kiss.

Kissing her was easy, she responded quickly and always met him with matching intensity. Her fingers would snake up from his shoulders and dance across his neck, brush his cheeks, caress him almost like a mother would but sensually until her fingers wrapped into his hair.

It was always his hair with her.

He leaned back up to unbuckle his pants, trying to figure out his belt while Hinata gave him bedroom eyes proved to me much harder than normal. He didn't even push them all the way past his hips before going in to kiss her again.

Soon, kissing wasn't enough, even when he had discarded her bra and brought a new element of fun to the table. He stood up, pulling Hinata off the bed with him and, his hands tucking into the waistband of her yoga pants and inching them down.

She took over for him once he abandoned mission to reach over into his bedside table for a familiar, tinfoil-esq square. After sliding it on, he was about to grab her when she put her hands on his shoulder and climbed onto his lap.

Surprised by her forwardness but not put off, most excited, anticipating what she had in mind in her moment of dominance.

He was not disappointed.

She wrapped her legs around him, hands gripping into his shoulder for leverage and sank onto him so slowly yet with pointedly calculated, the breath left his chest. His hands quickly gripped her hips, and just leaned back and watched her go.

And boy was it spectacular.

Getting too into it, he had to remind himself that he couldn't just rip her skin off. His fingers danced around after a while, needing to feel her. Down her back, her ribs to her hips, all the while trying to keep his fingers from curling too deep into her.

His heart was beating out of his chest, almost painfully smashing against his rib cage. His breath was getting caught in his throat, and not because of exertion.

Sasuke wanted to pull her tighter. Hold her closer. He moved his fingers into her hair, and tried as hard as he could to not rip it out as he crushed her face into his, kissing her so hard he was afraid he might bruise her. Her lips were searing, her breath hot, almost spicy against his.

He could feel it in his chest. His heart almost burning into his throat. It seemed like the more he had of her, the more he needed her.

Not being able to take it anymore, he tightened his arms down, crushing her into him. Her head tucked into his neck, he could feel her nose nuzzle his ear as her hands wound tighter into his hair. Holding her so tight that she was unable to keep moving and it was up to him to thrust from under her and finish them both.

He laid back, heavy breathed and spent but still clutching her to him. A calm silence filled the room and they lay together, his fingers rubbing soothingly across her back until he could see the goose flesh raise. Pulling her up against him, he pushed her towards the top of the bed and pulled his blankets that were tucked under his pillows with military smoothness and basically tucked her in like a small child. She smiled as he tucked the blankets over her chest, her face flushed and had not yet cooled.

She was still beautiful, lit up like a tomato.

Sasuke leaned over and kissed her cheek before standing up. He couldn't leave the clothes on the ground, even just for the night, he had always been like that. Which is why he had a 'my name is Asshole' sticker on his T-shirt the first time Hinata hand come over. Even drunk, dead Tired and being attacked by Sakura and passing out naked in his floor, he had somehow managed to hang up his shirt.

Speaking of Sakura, he glanced at his phone, just to see that she had continued to call him. And there were several unread iMessages from her number. Trying to conceal his anger, he threw his phone on his document packed desk, unwilling to deal with her anymore.

He picked up Hinata's clothes and laid them gently on his desk chair so they would be located easily for her in the morning.

"Will you hand me my shirt, please?" She asked quietly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Why did she need it? Was she going to leave now?

She sunk down into the blankets, looking at him sheepishly. "I'm gonna get cold."

"Cold?" He asked, dryly.

"Well," She fidgeted, pulling the blanket all the way to her chin. "You don't snuggle for very long, and your apartment is cold and sometimes... I get cold."

Sasuke turned to her fully, being illuminated by the window light. "Cold." He repeated, just a monotone.

"Sorry." She smiled, sheepishly.

He sighed, grabbing his discarded work clothes and making his way over to his closet, dreamily ignoring Hinata's request. After discarding his clothing into the hamper and grabbing himself a pair of dark pajama bottoms, he pulled out one of his black turtlenecks.

"Thank you." She smiled, sitting up to grab it from him.

She pulled it on quickly, keeping the blanket to her chest to protect her modesty and then tossed her hair out of the high turtle neck collar. Sasuke watched it shine in mild fascination until she settled back down into the blankets.

Sliding into bed, pulling her body flush against his, pressing his face against her hair, he sighed.

"Are you going to snuggle me now that I said you weren't very good?" He could hear her smile without even looking at it.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She giggled curling her knees up and tucked her cold feet against his pant legs.

"Shh." He shushed her half heartedly, smiling against her hair.

"Good night Sasuke."

Her voice was quiet, tentative, but the emotion behind it hit Sasuke square in the chest. It rang with words that both of them couldn't say yet, but clearly felt during their love making mere minutes ago. And that's what it was Sasuke realized. He hadn't been just fucking her. He felt her. All of her. Not her body. Her.

But he couldn't say it yet. It was too soon. Not the right time. But he felt it.

"Good night." His whispered back, holding her fighters

Sasuke didn't know how long he was asleep when suddenly, he just wasn't sleep anymore. Awake, blinking and now facing his windows, which Hinata was right. He really needed curtains. During the night he had rolled away from her, and she had been right, he was a shit snuggler.

There was a knock, loud and persistent on his front door, which must've been the sound that had woke him up in the first place.

He glanced over at Hinata. She was curled into her pillow, hair fanned out behind her, chin tucked into the collar of her turtleneck. She had the blankets pulled up and tight around her and all Sasuke wanted to do was go back to snuggling her.

The door sounded again and through Sasuke's immense agitation, he couldn't help but smirk when Hinata didn't even flinch.

Sighing, realizing that whatever psychopath that had wandered into his apartment building wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon without his own intervention, he ripped himself out of bed.

Shirtless and barefoot, Sasuke made his way out of his room and toward the door, but not before kicking open Naruto's room.

"Get up." He whisper/hissed.

If Sasuke was going to have to fight off some rambling crack head or get robbed in the middle of the night, he definitely wasn't doing it alone.

It only took Naruto a few seconds to hop out of his room, clad in a baggy white T-shirt and boxer shorts, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His police training had really done him some good, Sasuke could remember Naruto not being roused my anything short of a natural disaster or someone trying to eat his top ramen when they were in high school.

"Wass gon on?" Naruto mumbled, sounded vaguely like he was having a stroke.

Sasuke just shrugged as there was another knock, this one louder, without rhythm.

"Ah," Naruto yawned in realization. "Check the keyhole."

Obviously. Sasuke bristled.

Rubbing his black hair from his face, Sasuke braced the door to check through.

"Fuck." The hiss escaped him before he could help himself.

It wasn't a robber or a crackhead. It was much, much worse.

Pink hair.

Sakura.


	18. Deja-Fucking-Vu

Deja-Fucking-Vu

Sasuke wrenched open the door in complete disbelief.

Sakura, looking as disheveled as he had ever seen her, tears stained and hair mused in sweat pants and a red winter jacket.

AT HIS FUCKING HOUSE.

For a moment he couldn't even talk. His heart, pounding through his chest, eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto groaned.

A hand went up to shakily wipe the side of her face. "I need to talk to you." Her voice was quiet, surprisingly. But he could tell that it was to hide her slurring.

Drunk. She was drunk as fuck.

Naruto groaned again. "I'm going to call Ino."

He made a move to turn back into the apartment, but Sasuke grabbed his shoulder, stalling him.

"Don't leave me with her." He didn't even bother to whisper, uncaring if Sakura heard.

In fact. He hoped she did.

Naruto yawned through his friends blatant concerns. "Bruh," he breathed in Sasuke's face, smelling of ramen. "I left my phone inside."

Sasuke took a step back into the threshold himself. "I'll grab it for you. Stay with her." He pushed Naruto out into the hall, hanging on the door. "Keep her quiet, I don't want her waking up Hinata."

"I didn't come here just to bother that chick you're sleeping with!" She snapped, tilting awkwardly as her head swung around to face him.

"Why else would you be here?" Sasuke was seething.

"I'm not evil, Sasuke!"

Sasuke blinked slowly, trying above all else to not scream something childish back at her. Instead, he shoved Naruto out of the door and locked it for good measure.

His heart thumped as he looked around his apartment. It was in the same state he had left him, clean, a little bare. Put together. He expected it to look like a wreck, but that was his inner turmoil.

He swallowed, quickly. He had to get her out of here and fast.

Naruto's room was disgusting as usual and made a mental note to evict him at the soonest possible convenience. Grabbing Naruto's phone and backing out of the room as quick as he could, heart still pounding. He started back to his front door before realizing that he would probably have to assist in Sakura's drunken pilgrimage back home decided to stop past his room for a shirt.

Hinata was still cozy, snuggled deep in his bed, chin tucked into his turtleneck. Heart clenching, he tried to ignore her, heading to his closet to look for a shirt.

Flipping on the closet light and rummaging around must've roused Hinata, because she was rubbing her eyes and trying to prop her head up on a pillow when she woke up.

"Are you going on your run?" Her words were barely coherent, and she even yawns at the end, nearly cutting off 'run' as she vigorously rubbed her eyes like a sleepy toddler.

Sasuke hands tightened around Naruto phone in anger. And not for the first time that night did he just want to tell Sakura the 'fuck off'.

"No." He tried to say as gently as possible. "Go back to sleep."

She hummed while stretching, eyes closed and then yawned.

Sasuke's chest clenched again.

"Maybe I wouldn't have a problem sleeping if you were better at cuddling."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, throwing Naruto's phone onto the bed, freeing his hands to put his shirt on.

"One of Naruto's friends is drunk." Sasuke spoke carefully. "I'm going to help bring them home."

Hinata blinked slowly, obviously still tired but staring intently at his chest until his long sleeve hid it from view. Her eyes flicked back to his face, studying him for a moment before fluttering shut.

"You're so sweet." She whispered.

'No. Not really.' He thought bitterly.

Her legs shifted around under the blankets as she readjusted into comfort. One foot poked out, a fuzzy wool sock surprising him.

"You put your socks back on?"

She took a deep, looking like she was almost fully asleep. "Your apartment is cold, Sasuke."

Picking up Naruto's phone, and his own just in case, he smiled again, padding over to her. She looked to be completely asleep, breaths soft and deep, eyes relaxed and closed. All he wanted to do was lay down next to her, cuddle her.

She was cold.

And he was leaving.

For Sakura, of all people.

Sasuke brushed his fingers down Hinata's forehead, around the curve of her ear and then into her hair. Her skin barely twitched, breathing still even. She was beautiful when she was sleeping.

"I'll be back soon. I'll make it up to you in the morning." He spoke softly, mostly to himself.

Hinata hummed, tilting her head, pushing his fingers further into her hair. "Mmmm'luv yuuu." She muffled into her pillow.

Sasuke froze for a moment, then snatched his hand away, feeling all to hot against her scalp. Quickly grabbing his own phone, along with Naruto's he backed out of his own room and back to the chaos that awaited him.

Could she really just have said what he thought she said?

She was sleeping though right?

He glanced down at his own phone to see the numerous amount of missed calls, voicemails and text messages that Sakura had amassed while he was sleeping.

Opening the door, he was met with Naruto trying to hold Sakura back, using his police moves to hold her arms down and away from him.

"Let go of me you stupid idiot."

"Just because I'm a man, doesn't make it any less of an assault." Naruto yawned tiredly.

"Call Yamanaka." Sasuke said, thrusting the phone out.

Sakura seemed to calm down, once she noticed Sasuke, enough for Naruto to let go of her and reach for his phone.

"Why can't I just stay here?"

Sasuke snorted. "There's no fucking way."

"Why, because of that girl. I already told you I don't care about her-"

"Shut up." He snapped.

"But, but, you're supposed to be my friend."

Sasuke snorted.

Friend?

"Would you call Shikamaru or Choji over fifty times or go to their house in the middle of the fucking night." Sasuke was trying not to scream at her. He really was.

"Do you think Shikamaru would dea with you and leave Temari?" He asked again.

No. No he wouldn't.

And Sasuke shouldn't be doing that either.

Sakura had looked stunned at what he had said. Comparing himself and Hinata to Shikamaru and Temari? They were married and had been for a long while.

Since before Sasuke got into law school. Besides Shikamaru's complete lack of motivation and sheer interest in most things, their marriage had always seemed rock solid.

"What?" She finally snapped. "You think you're going to marry this chick? That ridiculous."

Realistically…How could he think that? She had only been his girlfriend for not even three weeks. He had only met her in November, not counting the straw incident.

Could you really know if you wanted to be with someone forever in a short amount of time?

But there was the part of him that didn't want her to go home when she did. The part that actually wanted to take a lunch break at work and come see her. The part that pushed off work to go to her asshole friends house or to watch stupid movies she liked. The part that bought her cookies randomly because he knew she'd like them. The part of him that wanted her to say "I love you" when she was awake, fully enunciated, so he could kiss her and hold her and tell her that he was thankful that someone like her could want to be with someone like him.

Though that part of him was slowly encompassing all of him. It wasn't just a tiny part anymore.

"You barely fucking know her." Sakura cried after his silence.

"Time really isn't a factor, is it?"

It was a cruel question.

Sakura had always wanted their relationship to be something more. If she had it her way, they'd have been engaged as soon as Sasuke graduated law school. Before, really. She had always pushed for more. And Sasuke had always pulled away.

He had decided to get his own apartment after they had been fighting too much before he had even graduated. He refused to get engaged because they broke up so often. He never talked about starting a family because both of them were selfish.

They worked long hours and brought it home with them. They hung out with friends and went to parties. When they broke up, they were with other people. It was selfish. Too selfish to commit fully and they were stuck in some sort of limbo. A constant run around of fighting, breaking up, getting back together and so on.

Sasuke didn't want that.

Not anymore.

For a long time he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted specifically. Just knew what he didn't want.

Which was Sakura.

But now he knew. He distinctly knew what he wanted. And it was back in his bed, sleeping in wool socks and his shirt. He wanted Hinata, whatever the fuck came along with it. Her crazy ass dad. Her shitty friend and not so shitty but weird other friends. Whether she wanted to get married or have kids or both or neither didn't fucking matter to Sasuke. Maybe it would in the future but not right now.

All that mattered was her.

"If you need someone, call Ino. Or your parents. Not me."

"That's it?" Sakura looked in disbelief.

Sasuke turned on his heels. "I'll see you around."

"How can you just abandon me? I'm going through something really fucked up. You're partially to blame!"

"Sakura." Naruto hissed, lowering his hands, gesturing for her silence, still on the phone.

"Is it?" Sasuke snapped. "You got pregnant, and if it was mine, wouldn't it have been smarter to keep it. You could've siphoned my money, my time and ruined my current relationship in one easy go, but you couldn't. Could you?"

Sakura's face paled as she looked away from Sasuke unable to face him.

"Because it wasn't mine, was it?"

She shrugged her shoulders, pathetically.

"Was it?" He pressed again, voice darkening.

"I don't know." She spat back. Bitterly.

That was it. The last straw.

"Don't call me again. Don't text me again. If I so much as see your name on my phone that isn't in Ino's fucking group text, I'll block your number."

Both Naruto and Sakura looked to Sasuke, startled at his sudden change. Quickly he glanced around at his hall, surprised that nobody had come out yet, and ripped off his sweatpants.

"Dude, the fuck?" Naruto scratched his head.

Sasuke tossed them at his friend and stepped back to his door, not even looking at Sakura.

"Walk her home. Leave her out here. Either one. I don't care. Good night."

He slammed the door behind him.

And standing right in front of him, with his turtleneck and fuzzy wool socks, was Hinata.

She looked sickly pale in the moonlight coming from his living room windows. She was biting her lip so hard Sasuke wondered if it would cause any permanent damage. Her fingers wound so tightly together he thought she would break them.

What had she heard?

"Hinata," He started, cautiously, like he was approaching a stray cat.

She took a step away from him.

"I-I-I th-think I should go."


	19. Break-Up Sex

Straw Saga 19

Break-Up Sex

Hinata hated arguing.

She was an emotional person, she was comfortable with herself enough to admit that. Hinata knew that without a doubt, in every heated argument she had been in, she'd cry.

Crying was fairly easy for Hinata to do. She cried while laughing. She cried while watching sappy movies. She cried while watching the dog shelter commercials. She drunk cried, like her friends loved to bring up. And she cried every single time she got upset.

Like right now.

"You don't need to leave." Sasuke said for the upteenth time.

She wanted to.

Ripping off Sasuke's turtleneck that he had so sweetly lent her, she put her own back on, flipping her long hair out of it, listening to the static as it settled down her back. She went to grab her pants but Sasuke snatched them out of her grasp.

"Can you stop." Sasuke snapped.

She had heard him annoyed at other people, angry even. Especially at Naruto, or anytime some guy named Suigetsu called from his work. And just now, screaming outside, he had been livid. But he had never used a voice above mild, joking annoyance with her.

She bit her lip. "I w-want to leave." Her voice broke with a soft whimper, giving away what her ducked head and bangs were trying to hide.

The flood gates were about to break.

"Fuck." He swore, mostly to himself. "Fuck. Hinata, don't cry."

A tear rolled down her eye and she grabbed her phone from off his desk, opening up her Uber app.

He huffed. "You don't need to do that. God damn it, Hinata."

He moved to grab her phone, but she stepped back.

"I want to go home." Her voice shook again as a tear spilled out of her eye, her bottom lip quivering.

Sasuke raked a hand through his hair. "I can take you."

Her frowned. "I-i-i don't think that a good idea."

"And, why?" He hissed, eyes widening, nostrils flaring.

"Because," She whispered quietly, almost to herself.

Was she being too childish?

Did she actually care?

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hinata," He ground. "Sakura doesn't mean shit to me. This isn't an issue. Let's just go back to bed."

More tears spilled out as she scoffed. "I'm going home, Sasuke."

"Why?"

"Why?" She echoed. "Why, because you're a liar." Her voice choked. "You lied to me…. y-y-you're a lying liar!"

His eyes flutter for a moment, like he's going to chide her on her pathetic word usage, but her eyes widen at him.

Daring him.

She's upset, okay. Plus it's not like the words don't fit the bill.

Liar.

"Calm down," He raised his hands up like she was a wild animal.

The floodgates burst on her eyeballs and she had to bite her lips to stop from screaming, angrily to herself.

"I'll leave naked if I h-h-have to." She spoke through tears."

He closed his eyes for a moment, bringing the heels of his palms against his eyes, hands still hanging onto his phone and her pants. He finally blinked back up to his dark ceiling, only illuminated by the city lights flooding in from his naked windows. He glares above himself for a few moments. Even shaking, crying, pantsless, Hinata couldn't help but appreciated Sasuke's long thin neck and sharp chiseled jaw, which was currently being clenched.

Finally, he held her leggings out to her.

"Just," He took a breath. "Let me drive you home."

Hinata sniffed, weighing her option. She really didn't have the budget for an unnecessary Uber and the possible wait time, and walking this late a night wasn't feasible for distance, temperature and all around safety. Sasuke driving her was the most convenient plan.

If the small detail that she wanted to get away from him could be forgotten.

"Okay." She finally whispered, pulling on her pants and exiting his room without him.

Just because he was willing to drive her home doesn't mean she had to wait with him. She'd get ready to go, the sooner she was alone, the better.

She might've cried a lot but that didn't make it any easier to do it in front of someone else. Especially Sasuke.

Angrily getting her jacket and boots on was harder then she expect. Her vision was tear clouded and she fell into the wall trying to stomp her feet into the boots.

"You forgot these." Sasuke's voice startles her up right and he's holding both her bra and her underwear.

She zips up her ugly, navy jacket indignantly. "Keep it." She sniffs.

Sasuke blinks at her blank faced for a moment before side stepping into his kitchen. He rummage around for a few more moment and Hinata contemplates leaving him again. The same cons still apply; it's cold, it's a long walk, it's unsafe. Does crying right next to Sasuke in his nice car sound better than walking for an hour, getting hypothermia and then getting mugged? Her hand rests on the door knob.

'Oh the options to consider.'

Before Hinata can seal her fate of bleeding out, cold in a back alley, Sasuke rejoins her at the door, tying a knot at the top of a grocery bag and handing it out to her. She assumes her undergarments are held inside. A part of her expected Sasuke to keep them, as a way to continue contact with her.

But the way he's acting, it's almost like this whole fiasco is just inconvenient to him.

Her eyes burn again, pathetically.

She doesn't say thank you.

He gets his own shoes and jacket on.

Hinata is completely blinded sided by the two adults sitting pathetically in the hallway. She wasn't prepared to see Sakura, the harlot, the jezebel.

She's not doing a very good job of not being melodramatic.

Naruto looks up, completely shocked to see her. "Holy fuck." His jaw drops when he sees her face. His eyes flicker back to Sasuke, but Hinata doesn't stop to talk.

The small, pink haired women with running makeup in a skin tight dress tucked next to Naruto is enough to make Hinata question everything about herself.

Is she too short? Sakura is taller. Is she too fat? Sakura is stick thin? Hair too long, too dark? Eyes too pale?

The women in question looks glassy eyed and blotchy. She had also been crying. "Sasuke, I didn't mean to-"

"Fuck off." Is all he musters, following Hinata out of his building.

It's quiet until they reach his car.

"Look." He can say whatever he wants nowthat he's trapped her in his car.

Hinata doesn't look at him, even though that's not even what he's asking. It is her only form of civil disobedience and she will carry it out.

"Sakura and I broke up in August, three months before I met you."

"I thought she was your 'girlfriend from high school.'" Hinata is aware that she sounds like a brat. She just can't seem to care at the moment.

She doesn't have to look at Sasuke to know the face he's making. She's seen his annoyance first hand at any other human being he's come across.

"She is." He speaks slowly.

"She is your most recent girlfriend." Hinata quips. "So recent that you got her pregnant."

"You must've not been eavesdropping very well then because I didn't fucking get her pregnant." Hinata winces at the swear word.

She remembers her childhood, when things with her dad weren't so great. Yelling, swearing. She remembers dating Toneri, when things started to go down hill, which was admittedly almost immediately. Yelling, swearing.

"I wasn't eavesdropping, you were screaming." She practically sobs.

Fresh tears roll down her face and she just wants to jump out of the car. She feels stupid. So unbelievably stupid. She wishes she could get upset without crying. Argue without crying. Hurt without looking like a complete baby. But she can't. She must bare her whole soul, but she doesn't want to show it to Sasuke anymore.

"Hinata, please. I got blacked out drunk on Halloween and woke up in the same room with her. I was too drunk to do anything. I didn't talk to her then until Thanksgiving."

"Which you didn't even want me to come to. Naruto had to invite me. I wonder why."

"Because my friends are psychotic, Hinata. It didn't have to do with Sakura… who is also psychotic."

"And when I saw you and her at lunch-"

"That was nothing. We were making her abortion appointment and Naruto and Ino were there."

Hinata gasps, pain squeezing her heart and crushing her stomach. "Oh my god."

"What?"

"Oh my god!" She can't stop the tears anymore.

"What!"

"That, that, th-that HICKEY!" She gasps. "It was a hickey! That was her wasn't it? W-wasn't it!"

"Fuck."

An admission of guilt.

Hinata leans over, as if to curl into herself, her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm s-s-so s-s-stupid."

"No. No, you're not Hinata. Look, Sakura come over right before you did when we were going to watch that movie. She was trying to hash out old shit and I took her home and she fucking attacked me. Nothing happened with her. I told you, I broke up with her in August. There's been nothing between us since August. She even told me she was cheating on me. That's who she got pregnant with."

"Why is she bothering you then?" Hinata asks.

She's not even sure if she believes him. But she asks anyways.

"Who fucking knows. The other guy's not there for her. She probably thinks that well get back together."

"Why would she think that?"

Sasuke stops, realizing he's fumbled himself again.

"Why would she think that Sasuke?"

"Just because we used to break up and get back together doesn't mean we are. We aren't."

Hinata has to hand it to him for being smart. He's caught onto her train of thought almost the moment it entered her mind.

"Are you sure? Are you sure I'm not just one of the filler girls in this ongoing, long term relationship." Her voice is full of some much bitterness, it surprises her.

"Sakura and I are finished. It was a long time coming. We aren't getting back together. Even if that kid was mine, which I would bet anything that it wasn't, it wouldn't change anything. There's nothing that could get me back together with her."

He pauses, waiting for Hinata to reply. They've had a back and forth until now but Hinata is finished. She sad, crying and just wants to lay down in her own bed and continue.

After a few moments of silence, Sasuke tries to reach for her hand. "I have everything I want."

She pulls away for from him, leaning against the door, holding her pathetic little grocery bag against her chest.

"I love you."

Her heart shatters.

"Don't say that. Do not say that right now. Just-" She hits her head against the window. "Stop talking."

It's silent until they pull up to her street.

She swallows, hard. "I need some time."

Sasuke stares straight ahead, jaw clenched. "Hn."

She opens the door and starts to crawl out, but pauses. "Don't call me."

He doesn't call.

She spends all of Saturday, listening to a break-up playlist on Spotify. And realizes that he has said he loved her.

Love.

Tenten comes into her room Sunday morning. Not even realizing that she was there, but finally seeing the state she was in, immediately offers anything. Advice. Shoulder to cry on. Ice cream. Movie marathon.

She turns down all of it. Instead, Tenten ends up snuggling her back for most of Sunday.

Hinata gets a substitute Monday. She gets it for the whole week, actually.

Her heart feels like it breaks again around noon.

Sasuke: Hope your substitute likes cinnamon hot chocolate. 12:07 pm.

Hinata waits almost all day before she texts back.

Hinata: I'm sure they appreciated it. 6:27pm.

Maybe not all day. But it feels like a hundred.

Not a second later, her phone was ringing. He hadn't called her since she had asked him not to. Her heart picked up speed, stomach rolling, hands becoming clammy. Not unlike being in middle school and when a boy was calling her house.

She swallowed before answering.

"Hello."

There was a long pause before Sasuke replied. "We need to talk."

He must've been surprised that she had picked up. If that was the only thing he could think of to say.

She resisted the urge to say 'we are talking'.

"Okay." She agreed.

There was another pause before Sasuke repeated her slowly. "Okay."

Again, she knew it was questioning. It was almost endearing that he was unsure of himself. Someone like Sasuke, off kilter, not in control.

He was probably uncomfortable.

"Okay." She affirmed.

There was another pause before he sighed. "I'm coming over."

There was another long pause now, coming from Hinata.

Was she ready for this? For it to be the end. That's what it would happen when he came over. She would have to tell him.

His behavior couldn't be overlooked. Hiding things, lying, lack of trust. She had to tell him that she was uncomfortable pursuing a relationship with that kind of base.

Hinata repeated that mantra as she sat under the shower. She realistically only had about twenty minutes before Sasuke would arrive and she felt greatly unprepared.

She was used to being comfortable around Sasuke. She wore leggings and sweatshirts to his house, sometimes a sweater and rarely jeans. She didn't wear a lot of makeup, and her hair always look roughly the same. That's how she was comfortable.

But, she felt weird now. Vulnerable. Could she face him as nothing but herself? Bare faced, exposed.

Wrapped in a towel and headed to her room with an estimate of five more minutes until Sasuke arrived, she mentally tallied how much time she had. Realistically, it was only enough to get dressed and maybe wrap her hair in her towel. That's not how she wanted things to go, but there was nothing to do about it.

She'd just have to hurry.

Entering her bedroom, she almost dropped the towel.

Sasuke was already sitting on her bed, dressed in one of his pristine, black suits, hair gelled, a gold watch glinting on his wrist. He was holding up one of her picture frames, idly scrutinizing it. Looking bored and disinterested as usual. Though he perked up considerably at seeing her.

He raised an eyebrow, a hand coming up to cover his smirk.

"W-w-who let you in?" Hinata's voice was too shrill, unhinged.

"Tenten." He said.

Duh.

"Can I have a minute?" She asked flustered.

He leaned back on her bed, settling against the wall since she couldn't afford a headboard. He made a display of getting comfortable, quirking a little smirk. He lifted a hand as if to say 'go ahead'.

Hinata tried not to stomp her foot indignantly.

She looked away from him, took a deep breath and shut the door behind her. She was a strong women. She had stood up to her father. She had stood up to her ex. What was Sasuke, in comparison to the adversaries she's faced in the past?

She could stand up to strong men.

She has. And she's prevailed.

But this was different.

Keeping her towel on, she managed to shimmy on some flannel, plaid pajama pants. The towel slipped when she was was trying to wrangle on a baggy long sleeve, she hoped that her hair had covered most of her back against Sasuke's eyes. Slipping on some thick wool socks and then taking the towel and wrapping her hair in it, she took another breath through her nose, before turning to face him.

He was completely reclining on her bed now, legs crossed at the ankles, arms folded over his chest. He had been watching her, intently, and making no moves to hide it.

Her cheeks burned.

"Cute ears." He smirked.

The burning spread to said ears.

She wore her hair down and specifically cut the framing pieces shorter to cover her ears. Never did she pull all of her hair back, except moments like now. Her ears must've been poking straight out.

Talk about feeling exposed and vulnerable.

She wasn't even wearing a bra.

Sasuke boldly pat the bed next to him, the empty space between his body and the wall.

She tried not to roll her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest and sat at the foot of the bed instead. This only seemed to amuse Sasuke further.

He sat further up, marginally and looked at her expectantly.

"So," Hinata said.

"So." He repeats.

She frowns at him. "You wanted to talk?"

"I did." He affirms.

She's getting annoyed. "So, let's talk."

"Let's."

Resisting the urge to scream, she remains silent.

He smirks, amused.

"Did you think about what I said?"

She nods.

"And?"

Hinata has to look away from him. She's losing strength. Not that she even had any. Her nerve is gone and all she can think about is how much she wants him to touch her. When his hand reaches for his chin she says nothing.

"If I wanted to be with Sakura, I could be. In a second." She tries to snatch her face out of his grip.

That's not what she wanted to hear.

He hangs on. "But I don't. Not even a little."

She looks down instead at her bed spread. It's cheap, and old. Sasuke's is nicer. But it's comfy and keeps her warm.

"I have who I want." His voice makes her shiver and he's closer now.

He's going to kiss her.

She lets him.

This escalated quickly from there.

There is only one point where Hinata stops to think about what is actually going on. She was fully prepared (perhaps not prepared but resigned to that fact) to officially ends things with Sasuke. To communicate her wishes to end their relationship, perhaps on good terms. Now… now, they were going to have sex.

Blinking for a moment, to take in her surroundings, her messy bedroom, Sasuke, almost naked above her, her frazzled bangs flattening against their forehead and tickling into her periphery. She could end things right now if she wanted, cock tease or not. Sasuke would listen, he wasn't a crazy rapist. If she told him to get off and get out, he would, probably grumpily. But he would leave.

All she had to do was say something.

So, when Sasuke shifts her naked legs around his hips, and scoots a hand up under her head, fisting her hair and cradling her skull like a baby, tilting her up to meet his eyes, his back hunching because he's a foot taller. This is the perfect opportunity to voice her inner plans. He's even making eye contact. It's all too easy.

But instead, Hinata braces on hand softly on his forearm, and the other she brings up slowly behind her head. It's flat against the bumpy texture of her wall. She doesn't have a headboard (or a bed frame, shhhhh she's poor!) and he's liable to hit her head through the sheet rock. She's had sex with him before. He's not explicitly rough, he's never hurt her. But the caution in not for naught. She's heard his headboard hit his own wall and is unsure how it's survived even before she entered his life.

She can't handle a concussion right now. She can barely think straight with all her brain power.

He watches her arm settle above her head and smirks and Hinata is struck, as she always is, about how beautiful he is. Sharp jaw, straight nose, dark, focused eyes, his hair mused. He's beautiful to her, in a way that hurts her heart and churns her stomach and makes her insides feel mushy and fuzzy.

But also in a way that makes her want to shy away. How can someone so beautiful look at her, and want that? She's chubby, eats too much desert. Her cheeks are always red. Her hair right now is a goddamn mess. She couldn't even pick up her room before he came over.

She doesn't even have a headboard. Or a bed frame!

But when Sasuke dips his head, brings his smirk down to her mouth, and takes her. Because that's what he does. It what always does. He takes her. Out of her mind. Her body. She's his. Has been since he demanded a straw from her in that diner. She didn't know it then. But she knows it now.

The kiss is not a kiss. Sasuke is taking her. And she is his. She lets him. And it's okay.

His fist grips the edge of her mattress, and this is the only thought she has before he enters her. Hard. She can only be grateful that she thought to brace.

She whimpers into his mouth, feeling him and only him. Those condom commercials are liars, there is a vass difference from 'Sasuke-latex-Hinata' to just pure Sasuke inside her. She can feel him, just him and she can't even pretend to be quite for the other people inside her apartment.

She doesn't even remember that there's other people in her apartment. Lee and Tenten Who?

On his third thrust, Hinata has to break the kiss anyways, it's too much. She curls further into him, pressing her face into her neck, shoulder area and just hoping that muffles her.

There is something so inexplicably intimate about the feeling of just them. She can barely handle it. She lets go of the wall, her heads already been wrecked by Sasuke anyways, if she's being honest with herself. What's some head trauma? She brings the other hand to fist his feathery hair in the back, feeling where he had tried to gel it down for work. She hates that he does that. It's a crime.

Sasuke, being the gentlemen that he is, let's go of her head and brings a hand down to her waist, gripping it tightly. It works two fold, one to keep her in place so she doesn't smash the wall while he smashes her. Second, so he can now thrust more deeply into her.

She cries out as he does, her mind was scathing by before. Her legs wrap tightly around him and she lets go of his arm so she can just hang onto his neck. This is both physically and metaphorical because now she is honestly just hanging on for the ride.

And boy, is it an amazing ride.

Sasuke's doing almost all of the work, and he should honestly get a raise. He's reaching so far into her, Hinata feels tears prickle at the corners of her eyes. He's grinding so hard against her clit the pleasure is almost painful. She can feel it building, the crescendo lifting, the beats about to drop. She doesn't know how she would even climax like this. What would she do, bite his ear off?

He groans out her name, "Hinata," somewhere above her head, because he's so freaking tall. Hinata herself can't even form words and is crying into his collar bone. It's good, too good. It shouldn't even been this good. It's so good, it's sinful.

He thrusts again, and she unexpectedly loses it. She cries out, something unknown. Her back arches so hard her breasts crush into his chest. Her legs lock and her hip bucks. There a part of her that's almost certain she's ripped out some of his hair. But she can't care, because it feels like something's tearing out of her deep within, and it's devouring her whole, alive. She can't breathe hair in, and pressing her face so hard against Sasuke's chest her nose hurts.

She loves him.

The realization is unsettling. She's in love with him. He lied to her and she loves him anyways. He likes jogging, salads, stress inducing work, being mean to his friends, and she loves him anyways.

It's the same feeling, as guessing a sad ending to a book or movie. You know it's true. You know it's coming. There's nothing you can do to stop it. You just have to wait till the end to see that you're right.

And she's right.

She loves him.

He thrusts a few more times, she's not sure how many. Could be two. Could be two hundred. His back tightens above her, hand grips her hip harder. He says her name again, somewhere between a swear and a prayer. "Hinata." She whines again, as he comes into her, her body clenches around him without her consent. Biology has her pulsing around him, nature trying to impregnate her.

Jokes on nature, she's been on the pill since her first period, courtesy of an overbearing and loving step mother.

Who needn't worry at all, she didn't lose her virginity till college.

After Sasuke calms down, which she herself has yet to do, he rolls off her. He brings her along, keeping her arms around him, hooking a leg over his hips and using his bicep as her pillow. And he holds her, softly rubbing her back. More gently than she thought he could be.

She's quiet for a long time.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke finally asks.

She nods into his pectoral. Her fingers coming up to dig through the hair at the name of his neck, at least the hair that's left. She fisted it pretty hard earlier. Her caress are small apologies.

He sighs like he's about to say something else, but pulls the blanket tighter around her. Her feet awkwardly bump his shins a couple of times before their legs also weave together. Her foot rubs his calf muscle and he breathes softly on the top of her head.

"Your hungry." He says randomly, a little while later.

She was.

He rolls away from her for a moment, he keeps holding her with the one arm she's laying in. He reaches back with the other arm, uncomfortably stretched like a scorpion, fishing around blindly. Even so, he retrieved his phone and a pillow, which he only uses for himself. He seems content enough to continue being her human pillow.

"Want anything specific?"

She rolls the question around in her head, wondering what she wanted. It seems hollow, dry. Hinata shrugs against him, tucking her chin down so she doesn't see his face. Or he won't see hers. Either way.

"My pick then?"

He's laying flat on his back, using one hand for his phone and the other to still hold her. His eyebrows are knit together and his fiddling around on his phone, probably looking for somewhere close to driver.

"You're getting chicken Alfredo. I'm getting shrimp. Before you ask, no you cannot have some of mine if you suddenly decide to change your mind about being wrong on shrimp."

She can't hold in the little laugh that escapes, and she continues to smile when he gets on the phone to call. He's short and rude and basically threatens the person on the line and hangs up abruptly. She can only hope that they don't spit in the food or blacklist her address but it makes her smile anyways. Reminds her of his kind way of asking for a straw.

She laughs at that again.

"Hn." He hums.

She finally glances back up at him.

"It's the first time you've smiled since I got here."

He tries to say it nonchalantly. She knows Sasuke tries not to be sentimental. Tries his best to be the cool, cold asshole he so desperately desires to be. But he's the same person that brings her hot chocolate and lets his friend live in his apartment even though he pretends to hate him.

She closes her eyes for a second, trying to calm down but dang it she fricken loves him!

She sits up and swings a leg over his hips, straddling him.

His eyes widen for a moment, eyes locked onto her naked chest. His hands come up to her hips and he's shifted his, clearly ready. They had been laying down for quite a while and she can see through her curtains that it's dark out.

When he finally looks up at her eyes, his hands stall and lust fades to concern.

Because she's about to cry again.

"Hinata,"

"You can't keep things from me, okay." Her voice is soft, she didn't want it to break.

He moved to sit up, but her hands splay out against his chest. There's no weight to it, they're just resting against his pectorals, but the message is received. He lays back down but he's not settled and he's still looking at her, observing with concern.

"If, if you want to be together-"

"I do." He cuts in.

She can't help the small smile that graces her lips. But it fades, because she's trying to be serious. To get the point across.

"So, don't keep things from me. Don't lie to me. Please," She pauses, biting her lip. "Just,"

His hands tighten. "I won't. I meant what I said."

Not knowing what else to say, she leans down to kiss him. He grinds her hips on his new hard on. Her hands grip his chest until his lifting her onto him.

The breath leaves her chest as she rocks onto him. "How long do we have?" She asked between pants.

Sasuke's hands have inched down to her ass and his jaw is clenched, hard. He's handsome. He's always handsome. "They guys said fifteen minutes." He huffs out as sweat builds on her back.

Probably meant they had around ten.

The rest of those the minutes are filled with arched backs, kisses, pathetic little mewling sounds Hinata can't seem to stop herself from making and Sasuke manhandling her ass like he owned it. Honestly, he had pawed it almost the entire time. Until the end when he had grabbed his forehead like he had a headache.

"Shit, Hinata." He groaned, almost painfully, as he came.

She leaned down, trying to catch her breath but pressing kisses into his lips instead. He accepts them without too much fuss, a hand on her ass cheek still. Once he moves his hand off his forehead, Hinata replaces it. She pushed back the hairs falling into his eyes and she presses a kiss against against his clammy forehead.

His hand catches her neck and he drags her back down until they're lip to lip. "You're my girlfriend." He demands from her.

'Wasn't that obvious?' She nods against him and they kiss until they hear the doorbell ringing.

Sasuke rolls his eyes and has to pull on his suit shirt and pants, doesn't button up either one and she knows, just knows, that he's going to make the poor delivery persons night worse.

She has to teach Sasuke the lovely knew life of eating in bed. The poor man who had a coronary anytime Naruto times to mention them eating in the living room. After his cheeks pinken a little, he finally joins her and they eat the noodles in her bed. He almost dies again when she leaves the trash on her desk, promising that she'll throw it away in the morning. Their clothes stay on the ground and he snuggles up next to her, falling asleep.

Her phone vibrating against her desk wakes her. Sasuke is still snuggling her, the beds so tight he doesn't have much of a choice, but it still makes her smile. As she sits up, she realizes Sasuke's been busy while she was sleeping. Their clothes are folded, the trash has been thrown away, her own phone is take off the charger and his has replaced it. She can't be mad, he'll need it for work in the morning.

She reaches over to grab it, noticing that he left her desk askew. His own work desk was a complete wreck, he could probably appreciate a chaotic working environment. Sasuke's arm wraps around her and he leans up to kiss her neck.

"What time is it?" He asks, groggily.

Her phone lights up and she settled back into the bed, Sasuke starts to suck a specific spot on her neck and she knows he's trying to give her a hickey, and she should be annoyed, but she giggles.

"Four."

He groans, biting her. She's weighing the options of forcing Sasuke to sleep for two more hours or having him rail her into the wall again. Until she sees the missed call is from her dad.

"Wha…?" She questions to herself until her phone is ringing again.

"It's my dad." Sasuke hasn't asked a question. He's stopped kissing her too. Might've even fallen asleep. She says it more for herself if anything.

When was the last time her dad had called her?

"Hello?" She answers tentatively.

"Hinata? It's Natsu."

Hinata's sitting all the way up in bed again. Why would Natsu have her dad's phone? Was he alright?

"Hanabi's been in a car accident. Don't freak out! She's fine. We're at the hospital."

Hinata doesn't remember much of the rest of the conversation. The words "car accident" fired every nerve, clenched every muscle, made her bones hurt.

Car accident.

Car accident.

"What's wrong?" She can barely hear Sasuke above the own ringing in her mind.

"My sister." She whispers, almost to her self. "She was in a-"

Car accident.

It's like she can remember the trauma on a cellular level. Car accidents were bad. They killed people. Took people away from her. Precious people. How could anyone be fine after a car accident?

But Natsu had said she was fine. Right?

"My sister was in an accident." She finally manages to get out. Her breathing is too hard but it still feels like she can't breath.

"Fuck." Sasuke sits up next to her. "Is she okay?"

Hinata nods but she doesn't feel any better about it. Her throat burns and she just wants to give her baby sister a hug.

"Where is she?" Sasuke stands up, grabbing his phone and clothes off the desk.

"The hospital." She tried to wipe her tears with her hand. She's been crying too much lately. It hurts. "The big one, down town probably." She hadn't asked for specifics.

"Well, figure it out and let's go." Sasuke rips her out of the bed.

"What?"

"You might want to do something about you hair." He gestures to her bangs with a flick of his hand.

She touches her fringe subconsciously but otherwise ignores it. "You're taking me?"

Sasuke pauses the buttoning of his white work shirt. "Don't you want to go?"

"Yes!" She says.

"Common then."

She doesn't know what to do except hug him. Which he returns for a moment, just holding her to his chest. "Thank you." She cries into his chest.

His voice is so low it makes her shiver. "I love you."


	20. His Plans Not Gonna Work Like That Y'all

Straw Saga 20

His Plans Not Gonna Work Like That Yall

Sasuke has gotten worked up over girls before. Him and Sakura had blown out rages. He's screamed, he's broken things.

But never had he been so angry before. It was almost an all-consuming rage. Enough to where he had almost broken his fist on his steering wheel.

'I need some time.' 'Don't call me.'

He had told her that he loved her and she told him to stop talking.

His hand and heart throbbed together.

Because fuck, he did love her. Making her cry had been one of the worst feelings he'd ever experienced. Knowing it was his fault, if only he had trusted her enough.

He knew Hinata. She would've understood. Probably would've even helped him. She calmed him down.

She really was everything he wanted.

And he was sitting outside her apartment, trying to respect what she said. He really was. She wanted time. Space.

He could do that.

In theory.

Physically he wanted to march straight back up to her apartment and force her to talk to him. She had to know that Sakura didn't mean anything to him. That he wasn't trying to lie to her.

He brought his forehead down to the steering wheel, hard. Narrowly missing his nose but smashing his forehead. His teeth ground so hard he knew he was going to get a headache. Resisting the urge to kick his feet like a toddler, he glammed his car into gear and ripped out of his parking place at her curb.

She wanted time and space. He wanted to show her that he respected her.

She would appreciate it.

He hoped.

Sasuke parked his car in his apartment garage but decided to walk down to the store a couple blocks down. The city was just now waking up, not that it ever truly slept. But the influx of morning weekend workers was starting to fill the sidewalks. Sasuke felt like a walking piece of shit after buy a bottle of vodka that early in the morning and got a couple curious side eyes as he meandered his way back to his house.

Yes, he was trying to avoid going home. Hinata had just been there. His bed would still smell like her.

He didn't want to deal with that just yet.

Unlocking his apartment door, realizing that Naruto hadn't locked it behind it, irked him. He slammed the door open, trying to let some pressure release from his pent-up frustrations.

Seeing Naruto and Ino trying to pull an incredibly inebriated Sakura Haruno was not something he wanted to deal with either. Ever.

Why. Was. She. Still. Fucking. There.

"Shit, Sasuke…" Ino peered up at him, ready for the explosive anger she so expected from him.

She had known him for a long time after all. This wasn't her first time dealing with Sakura and Sasuke. It was different this time, though.

"Dude we're trying to get her out." Naruto gestured to the pink haired girl flopping awkwardly around, like a toddler throwing a tantrum in a grocery store.

Sasuke had underestimated Sakura's level of inebriation originally. Or the drinks had truly hit after him and Hinata had left.

Hinata.

Sasuke balance his bottle of vodka in an elbow, pressed against his chest, and gingerly fished out his cell phone.

"Sauce-sss-Kaye." Sakura sat up halfway, using Ino's arm to hang onto. "You baacks. I wunna… wanna… wan tell ya some-"

Sasuke hadn't even looked up at her after dialing the number he wanted. "9-1-1." He spoke, pretending to talk to himself but doing it loud enough that even Sakura, on whatever drunk plane of existence she was floating on, would hear it to.

"Sasuke." Ino pleased weakly.

"Saucey, nu!" Sakura let go of Ino, her head lolling back dangerously for a moment before rolling onto her side, trying to do a 'dog-frog-stand up' type move but not even being able to make it onto hands and knees.

The phone rang three times before the laziest voice answered. "Guido's Pizza, is this for delivery or pick up?"

It sounded like a stoner college kid who Sasuke had just woken up. But honestly, who else would work the graveyard shift at a 24-hour pizza place?

"Yes, Hello. I'd like to report a drunk belligerent woman who won't leave my house."

"Fuuuk yu ass-hass!" Sakura, with the help of Ino and Naruto had managed to get standing. "Asshole." She corrected, shaking out her hair that had napped awkwardly after her time on his living room floor.

"...bruh, we don't have that special anymore. Or like... ever man."

"Yes, I've ask her to leave multiple times, and I fear for my safety."

Sasuke knew that this was ridiculous. Pathetic even. He was just standing in his living room at 6 am, to get his drunk ex to leave his house. This wasn't college anymore. He was too old for this shit. He just wanted to be snuggling with his girlfriend, asleep. Was that too much to ask?

"You do know you're supposed to call 911 and give them the pizza code. You're doing this kind of backwards."

He had to resist the urge to tell the high school Shikamaru impersonator to fuck off.

"Yes, she's threatened my roommate and myself multiple times."

"Fine! Fine!" Sakura finally shrieked, trying to push past Ino and somehow get her legs to take her around Sasuke's couches.

"Whoa dude, you're into some kinky shit. Do you still want pizza?"

"Yes."

"Okay, okay man. Pick up or delivery?"

Sasuke wracked his brain, trying to fit that into an answer, but finding nothing on the spot. "Yes."

"Dude, yes to what? Pick up?"

"No."

"So, delivery? When I get there, can I get whatever you're smoking bro? You got that good shit."

Sakura had managed the apparently arduous walk around the loveseats and managed to wrangle her zombie legs to where she walked right next to Sasuke, trying to nonchalantly shoulder check him. She missed.

"No." Sasuke tried not to ground his teeth.

Instead of accepting defeat, she grunted angrily and tried to shove him in the chest. Sasuke side stepped her easily.

The stoner sighed. "Fine, so what kind do you want? Hawaiian is my person favorite-"

Sakura raised a hand to punch him, but all Sasuke had to do was rest his cellphone between this cheek and shoulder, and shove her own shoulder back, knocking her off balance. She face-planted into the floor at his feet.

"No." He said, quickly, almost forgetting what he was trying to do. He already had a shitty enough night, he wasn't going to settle those monstrosities on his pizza.

"Okay, how 'bout the special. It's got-"

"Yes."

"Why don't you tell the operator that you just attacked me!" All of a sudden, her words becoming much clearer. Conveniently.

Sasuke grabbed his phone back, alleviating his neck. "I'll be sure to let them know." He mock whispered, pretending to hold the microphone part of the phone away from him mouth.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Ino waved goodbye at Naruto and gave Sasuke an apologetic grimace before grabbing her friend's wrists and half way dragging her out of the apartment.

Sasuke locked the door behind them, and drug his exhausted legs over to the couch, letting his body limply flop onto it.

"You didn't actually call 9-1-1, did you?" Naruto asked, settling in next to him.

"Hn." He shook his head no, opening up the bottle of vodka.

"She break up with you then?" Naruto assumed, grabbing the bottle, not to take it away, but cracked it open and passed it back.

"Not yet." Sasuke clipped bitterly, taking a deep drink, his mouth going numb and burning simultaneously.

Naruto accepted the bottle back with a smile. Sasuke usually wasn't so generous.

"Aye! Not yet. That's optimistic. I'll drink to that." He took his own swig.

They took a couple more sips each before leaning back and letting it settle in. It felt incredibly unnerving, the silence in his apartment after all the drama that he had gone through. Like a storm, when all the debris had been brought up to the ocean's surface.

"So, what should we do now?" Naruto asked awkwardly.

Sasuke shrugged. "I should probably do some work." He admitted, though made no move to get up.

There was another long awkward lull in the conversation. "Call of Duty?"

Sasuke closed his eyes took a deep breath. Hinata asked for space. And time. He couldn't bother her. He couldn't intrude on her. He respected her. He loved her.

His heart hurt. His head hurt. A part of him felt like crying. But he took another deep breath.

"I get the red controller."

Sasuke spends the rest of his Saturday in this weird kind of high school fantasy that he envisioned his life going, well, hoped at least. Pizza, alcohol, video games with Naruto nonstop. Even when he pretended that his friend was nothing but a sickening nuisance, it should've been fun. He should've enjoyed it.

But he couldn't stop from checking his phone every couple minutes, praying for a message from Hinata.

He knew had hadn't explained himself very well. He was never good at dealing with feelings. Even at work, when he had to make lengthy explanations, he had ample time to prepare his dissertations. He had scores of research material. It was a little harder to defend himself on the spot. Yes, most lawyers were supposed to be good at that.

But he wasn't that kind of lawyer. He was in the business of big Capitalism and fudging documents pertaining to land conservation and looking through countless loop holes to field expansion.

He wasn't prepared to fully confront Hinata.

"Can I use your charger?" Naruto asks sometime during the day.

Even though Sasuke is looking at his clock about every three minutes, his inebriated mind can only make out the lack of texts from his girlfriend. Its day time though. The light is streaming in from his curtain less windows.

Hinata hated that he didn't have curtains.

Why didn't he just fucking buy curtains? It wasn't that hard. What an easy thing to do that would've made her happy.

"No, I need it."

"Your phones at 100%!"

Sasuke sniped Naruto's guy through a winow. "Eat shit." He slurred.

After the sun goes down, and they run out of pizza, Naruto admits defeat and must head to bed. The unfortunate soul has to occasionally work weekends.

"Aren't you going to bed?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke scrunched up his face, too drunk to hide his emotions like he wanted to.

He didn't want to return to his bed, not without Hinata being in it. That's where she was supposed to be. She needed to be with him, not out doing god knows what.

"You're just gonna sleep on the couch?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded.

"Hey!" Naruto shrieked. "Come sleep with me! It'll be like high school."

"Fuck off, fag."

"Sasuke, it's 2018, you can't just say that." Naruto sounded aghast.

"Bite me, Queen."

"Okay, you can't call me a fag and the say that."

"Fuck off."

"Fine. Reject my love, asshole."

"We live together. We have a sleepover every night." The hangover headache was setting in and the regular headache that came whenever he had to have prolonged conversation with his idiot friend was also hitting him with a vengeance.

"It's not the same!"

Sasuke sighed, kissing whatever peaceful night he was going to have on the couch goodbye. Maybe not peaceful. More like silent.

"Fine." He groaned, sitting up.

The floor felt rocky underneath him and his body swayed awkwardly as he made his way to Naruto's room. He had to hold onto the hallway wall and couldn't get the door open when Naruto veered over to make a detour to the bathroom. All Sasuke could do was hang onto the door handle and try not to fall over.

Naruto's room was covered in laundry, dirty or clean, Sasuke wasn't sure.

"Your room smells like nacho cheese."

Naruto smiled stupidly.

Sasuke takes the side of the bed closest to a plug in, so his already charged phone won't lose a single percent. He can't risk it. Hinata might've not sent him a single letter, but he'd be ready when she did. If she did.

He just realized that he was too drunk to drive to her, if she did.

If.

Sasuke gets into the bed before his neat freak-ness rears a head and he spends his evening folding Naruto's shit. Or before he decides to start pathetically drunk crying. Neither option sounds fun. So instead, he lays down in Naruto's sheets, pretending they don't smell like they need to be washed. He uses the one pillow Naruto has on his bed and shoves it between them.

"Don't touch me, ass-wipe."

Naruto nods, laying on his side facing Sasuke.

Sasuke, to avoid any unnecessary eye-contact, stays on his back, tucking an elbow under his head, closing his eyes, allowing his head to spin drunkenly, knowing that if he threw up it wouldn't make the room any worse.

"I can't believe you haven't at least called her."

Sasuke bristles defensively, because he fucking wants to!

"She asked me not to." His teeth clench.

"I know, I know. It's just," There's an awkward pause. "It seems mature of you." Naruto sounded so surprised.

Sasuke rolls his eyes, even though they're closed. They are almost thirty-year-old adult males, who share an apartment, and are currently having a sleep over. Yes, mature is surprising.

"I just, don't want to mess up any more than I already did. She asked for time and space." Sasuke isn't usually in the business to divulge information, but he's drunk, and sad and vulnerable, not that he'd admit that.

He misses his girlfriend.

"She didn't break up with you yet." Naruto circled back to Sasuke dark 'not yet' joke.

Sasuke couldn't hold in his sigh. "I'm afraid I might've fucked up too much. That it's over."

Naruto started to shrug him off, and Sasuke stopped him immediately. He didn't need a 'plenty of fish in the sea' kind of pep talk. He didn't need a confidence booster and a trip to the bar with his boys.

He needed Hinata.

"She's the one. There isn't anyone else."

There's a long pause, after Sasuke struggles with what he's just admitted. So long that he suspects Naruto might've fallen asleep. Neither of them are good at heart to hearts. Their relationship mostly consisted of fist fights until Naruto started being buff and strong for a living and Sasuke became a string bean morning runner that spent his days in a suit at his desk.

"What are you going to do then?"

The overwhelming question startles Sasuke at first. His drunk brain has no clue what it's going to do. Video games, pizza and vodka had been almost a fun way to pass the time, if this situation surrounding it hadn't been total shit. But, then the real Sasuke kicked in. The Type A, Lawyer, fucking Wolf of a man was back. Sasuke smirked into the darkness.

"Tomorrow's like any other day. I'll get the jog in early, and finish up any loose ends for Monday. And then Monday," Sasuke nodded to himself. "I'll fix things then."

Why hadn't he thought of it sooner?

Curse his exhaustion and lowered senses.

He had made Hinata upset before. Had needed to kiss up. He had always been able to do two things. Corner her at work. And a hot chocolate peace offering. Of course, it had never been this bad, but he needed a way to at least talk to her after the weekend. This was all assuming she didn't speak to him at all on Sunday, which he was dreading. At least he had a game plan now, if she did.

"I'm going to go out and get some curtains too."


	21. Road Head

Straw Saga 21

Road Head

Sasuke looked over fondly at his adorable girlfriend, sitting in the front seat of his car. She was nibbling the stale peanut butter cookie that had been left abandoned in his cup holder. Sasuke, not being one for crumbs or unnecessary clutter but unable to throw her cookie away on his way to and from work on Monday, especially after his thwarted attempt at trying to trying to get her back during her lunch break.

Though, thankful that it had worked out. Especially with how much sex involved with making up, which he had honestly not seen coming. Even with his normal arrogant personality and just sheer power of will to make Hinata understand and forgive him, it had gone much, much better than anticipated.

He let his right arm drape over her shoulders, his hand rest at the base of her neck, letting his fingers dragging up through her hair, massaging her scalp. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her bangs were clipped back, making her ears more accentuated. They weren't big or ridiculous, almost like a cuddly little panda. Sasuke wasn't usually the type of man to admit such pathetic things.

Like how utterly adorable his girlfriend was.

His girlfriend.

Possessive, certainly. Not that he cared. There wasn't anything in between them anymore. Sakura wasn't even a disappearing spec is his rear view. She was basically nonexistent, where him and Hinata's relationship was concerned.

Hinata didn't break up with him and he got to fuck and cuddle her to his heart's content.

Speaking of fucking…

"Hinata,"

She glanced over, digging his fingers deeper into her bun. She had stopped nibbling the cookie in favor of her fingernails. He knew she was worried about her little sister, but -

"Do we need to get Plan B? Or something."

It was an awkward question. Sasuke had never really given much thought to children. His brother's sons were annoying as hell and had few redeeming qualities, besides Izuna. There wasn't a girl he'd imagined himself copulating with, definitely not Sakura. Not even when their relationship wasn't tenuous. No, children would take up his time and his money, and ruin his apartment.

He had Naruto enough for that.

But, now with Hinata, he still didn't feel ready for kids. Just, not in the same way he knew he didn't want to have kids with Sakura (or anyone else). Yes, he knew he wanted to be with Hinata. He loved her, she was the one. Still, their relationship was young. SHE was young. Barely out of college. He had no idea what her thoughts on children, or marriage or any of those things were.

It felt too early to discuss as well. Besides what he had said to Sakura, about time not being a factor, when reality settled in, it obviously was. It didn't factor into his certainty about her. There was no questioning that. But, in real life, especially in the city, the short amount of time they'd known each other didn't warrant discussions of marriage.

They barely allowed for his socially acceptable "I love you" confession. Not that telling her when he had was all that romantic, or the way he had intended. But there was enough time for him to comfortably admit that without coming off as a crazy stalker.

The time spans didn't really allot him asking her how she felt about marrying him sometime in their lifespans.

Or talks about kids.

Maybe kids with her gorgeous, exotic eyes. Hair so dark it sometimes shown blue in the street lights. Maybe they'd have adorable panda ears.

"Oh." She squeaked next to him. "Um, no. That's okay."

Not really the answer he was expecting. His stomach fluttered uncomfortably. She could've been a lot more excited for children than he thought.

Her cheeks reddened as she glanced over at him, catching what must have been a confused expression on his face.

"I'm on birth control." She said.

"Since when?" He shifted his jaw back, looking out at the street but not really seeing it.

Her cheeks darkened even more as she bit her lip. Sasuke always loved when she was fresh faced. When her blushes were unimpeded.

She shrugged. "Since, ever? I guess."

Sasuke, with vague annoyance, recalled their first time with an awkward condom retrieval and a time in her bedroom that without any protection that regulated him to just oral. Not that he minded. But why hadn't she even mentioned it?

"That's, convenient." He muttered more to himself.

And it was.

Fucking her raw was amazing. Knowing that he could've been doing it for weeks now was only a mild blip on his radar. He drummed his free hand on the steering wheel.

Oh, the possibilities.

"I'm sorry. I just thought it was like a paranoid lawyer thing."

Sasuke side eyed her, trying not to smirk. "Paranoid lawyer thing." He echoed.

Her face was in flames.

He guessed that his previous need for condoms with other women was in fact a 'paranoid lawyer thing', but he didn't feel that way for Hinata. If he was going to have kids, which he still wasn't sure about, Hinata was a good person to have them with. She was sweet, and nice, and actually knew how to take care of kids. And, he loved her, so there was that.

Not that he wanted kids right now.

Or ever.

But if he did, definitely with Hinata.

He shook his head out, feeling beyond stupid. Even alone in his thoughts. He clenched his jaw and the steering wheel, trying to focus on something less pathetic.

The conversation had done a sufficient job in distracting Hinata, at least. She had been notably upset since her step-mother called, trying to hide it underneath fidgeting and nail biting. She was getting worse and worse, though the closer they got. Twisting her fingers, biting her lips.

By the time Sasuke had pulled into the closest parking garage adjacent to the hospital that Hinata had directed him to, he decided that physically interfering with Hinata's anxious fidgeting, helping to calm her and himself in one foul swoop of his arm, he took his Hinata around the shoulder and nestled her against his body.

They made a mismatched pair, Sasuke in a rumpled suit from the day prior and Hinata in a sweatshirt and messy bun. Not that he had ever minded what she dressed like, women's fashion was beyond trivial to him. He thought she was pretty cute anyways.

It took Sasuke longer than expected to notice that it was Sakura's hospital. Not that it's name was 'Sakura's hospital' but it was the one she worked at. He hadn't seen, nor spoken to Sakura since he told her very specifically that he, under no circumstances (lest Ino drag them into a group chat) that he did not want to see or speak to her. Ever.

Or at least a long while.

Long enough for her to get that he was dating Hinata through her thick five-head.

But being in her hospital, left an uncomfortable feeling churning in his gut. His arms tightened around Hinata, in a pathetically insecure attempt to ground her to him. To feel her against his chest. Hinata, who didn't have Sakura or possibly him at all, was practically dragging Sasuke down the hall as they neared the directed room number.

They had been directed to more of a long term ward, which he could tell had put Hinata even more on edge.

She was counting the room numbers, muttering along, trying to remember the one her step-mother had texted, when said step-mother popped out of a room down the hall.

Hinata startled momentarily, and then took off like a pitbull, bred specifically for hauling large objects, pulling Sasuke down the hall.

Sasuke let go when Hinata's blonde step-mother greeted her with a warm hug.

"Hinata," Natsu cooed, pressing Hinata's cheeks together. "I told you, you didn't need to rush."

Natsu stepped back, appraising Hinata's outfit of choice which was completely contrary to how put-together Natsu looked, even at the early hour. Hinata blushed to her exposed ear tips, her hands tucked into the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

"I know." Hinata mumbled.

Sasuke saw what could've been a peak into Hinata's adolescence. Adorable, meek.

He rubbed he bridge of his nose tiredly.

Natsu glanced over at Sasuke with an impish grin. He shoved his hands in his suit pockets and nodded his head, with the same amount of respect as a punch ass middle schooler. But instead of adolescent angst, it stemmed from the sheer awkwardness of the exchange.

Yes, Sasuke was an adult, who normally wouldn't give a flying fuck about other people knowing that he was piping down his lady whenever he wanted to. But just him being here with Hinata in the middle of the night was pretty obvious, let alone his rumpled suit. Incriminating at best. Still, not that he cared. Yes, he fucked Hinata. And liked it. But with her step-mother, just staring at him, and Hinata's bangs clipped back, little ears poking out, he felt old. Dirty.

He cleared his throat.

Natsu just smirked at Hinata, moving around Hinata's best collar in a mother action that really did nothing more than jostle her layers.

"This is not your father's night."

Natsu turned on her heels, leading the way into the room.

The room looked at big as the maternity rooms that Sasuke vaguely remembered Izumi being in when her and Itachi had their boys. He hadn't usually been in town when Izumi had given birth, maybe for only one or two of his nephews and from that he had probably only visited once while she was in the hospital. But Sasuke's shitty past history as an uncle aside, he at least knew that this room was large, larger than most. Though he shouldn't be surprised with the expanses of the Hyuuga wealth.

"She's a little medicated." Natsu warned.

The 'she' referring to Hinata's little sister, tucked into a hospital bed clad it gown, bracelets and IV tubes.

Hinata gasped, abandoning Sasuke at the door and rushing to her sisters side.

"I thought you said everything was fine?" Hinata said, voice reaching a shriller octave than her normal voice.

Hanabi flubbed her lips in a "shhbb" dismissive sound, her head lulling to one side of the bed for a moment, one hand slapping the air, shooing Hinata's worries away, but clearly under the influence of some form of pain killer.

"I said I had a headache and instead of an Advil like a normal person, Dad glared the the nursing team until they brought in the big guns." Hanabi voice slurred.

"She had a fucking head injury, it's not insane that I kindly requested appropriate god damn medication." Hinata Dad, sitting at a table and chairs at the back of the room, next to that poor sap Udon.

Udon, who looked far, far worse off than Hanabi in the bed. Udon had broken glasses, what looked to be a previously bleeding nose, a fat lip and both his hands were bandaged. He also kept glancing at Hiashi and around the room, meeting Sasuke's eyes like a hostage desperately looking for an escape route. Whereas Hanabi looked almost completely unscathed.

"This is probably some of the root problems of the opioid epidemic." Hanabi lamented.

Hinata giggled, shaking her head.

"You brought him?" Hinata's Dad looked back and forth between her and Sasuke, accusatory in very manner.

The same uncomfortable feel settled in Sasuke stomach, as Hiashi Hyuuga looked at his clearly rumpled suit, Hinata's disheveled look, piecing it together with the ungodly hour.

He shouldn't care.

He really shouldn't.

"Sweetheart," Natsu chided softly, taking her spot next to her husband.

Hinata glanced behind her to Sasuke in a small, apologetic smile. Sasuke tilted his head in return. He'd be fine.

Placated enough with his silent reply, Hinata went back to doting on her sister.

"So what happened?"

"Well," As Hanabi was beginning to drawl, Sasuke caught the tensing of Natsu and glaring scowl of blatant furry Hiashi was pinning down Udon with.

Sasuke was quite used to observing people, it helped to see little twitches in opponents when going over documents, searching for their weakness, loop holes on just an eyebrow twitch over a certain passage.

Hinata, whose eyes had promise, Sasuke remembered her darts on Thanksgiving, but was only trained on Hanabi.

Sasuke settled against the wall, suddenly much more interested in how this all came about.

"So, basically - fender bender. Udon got fucking railed by the airbags, and I hit the back of my head on the steering wheel." Her voice was almost blasé, even rolling her eyes a little at the end. "Which is why Big D.a.d. over there is getting his panties in a twist."

"Hanabi," Hiashi obviously not appreciating his rapper name his youngest had gifted him.

She wasn't phased. "Knickers in a twist?" She tried to concede, as if they type of metaphor was the root of the problem.

The glare that had been previously trained on Udon had switched to Hanabi herself, with enough strength to rival Fugaku Uchiha's, or at least Sasuke's fussy high school memories of his fathers deep disapproval.

"Thong in a-"

"So, you were driving?" Hinata cut in, basically saving Hanabi's life from the sheer wrath of her the Hyuuga Corps Head. "Why didn't the airbag hit you too?"

"No Udles was driving."

…Udles?

Sasuke clenched his jaw as the poor college age young man looked down in his shame.

"Wait, how did the back of your head hit the steering wheel while he was driving?" Hinata asked, still confused.

Sasuke, having already pieced the scenario together in his head, had shoved his hands back into his pockets and put on his best courtroom face of blank boredom. Fully avoiding Hinata's father's gaze, and just being overtly thankful that he was only witnessing this mortifying situation with front row seats and not actually dealing with it himself.

Natsu looked at Hinata like the car accident was actually happening right before her, biting her lip and shaking her head slightly. Just trying to convey the universal 'please stop'.

Hanabi at least had the presence of mind to try and look embarrassed, her cheeks tinging pink, reminiscent of her older sister but nothing close to Hinata's actual flush.

"But I don't get it." Hinata continued with none of her questions answered.

'Don't get it, my ass.' Sasuke smirked to himself, thinking about Friday night when Hinata was more than willing to do a little something-something in his own car.

"Oh," Hinata said, quietly to herself, head tilting for a moment, until her spine practically snapped in realization. "Oh! Oh no. Oh my god. Oh-"

The chair Hiashi had been sitting in clatter back and he stood abruptly. "Coffee. You all want fucking coffee. Snot Nose and I," He paused, grabbing the back of Udon's jacket and none too kindly yanking him out of his seat by the scruff like mother cat. "We're getting coffee."

Udon nodded quickly, walking along with the powerful older man, not willing to upset the CEO of one of the most powerful companies in Konoha. Not after he wrecked a car while his youngest daughter was giving him road head.

If Sasuke was a lesser man, if Sasuke was Naruto, he wouldn't have been able to hold down the laughter even if he wanted to.

Beside the fact that Hanabi was hospitalized, something Sasuke thought was a gross overreaction from a man who had loss too much already to something as simple as motor vehicle accidents, the entire thing would've been laughable.

"And you?"

Hiashi had stopped right in front of Sasuke, looking as annoyed as if it was all Sasuke's fault they were here. Hiashi was shorter than him, by far, though he held a presence of a man much, much taller. He was soft too, like Hinata, like he was almost fat but not quite. He had a hard, cold stare and Sasuke knew that was how this man commanded an entire company.

"You coming?" Hiashi asked, slowly and clipped at Sasuke.

It was a very calculated question. One Sasuke couldn't refuse.

Hinata had turned around, and didn't look anywhere pleased to her father singling him out, but Sasuke couldn't allow Hinata to save him.

He nodded, pushing up off the wall.

Before Hinata could protest he gave her a small, side eyed smirk. "I'll bring you back something."

The walk down to the cafeteria didn't even scratch the surface of awkward.

Not only, did he not want to be walking around with Hinata's pissed off Dad at a hospital in the ungodly hours of the morning. But he definitely didn't want to be meandering around Sakura's fucking hospital. At any hours of the day. With anyone. Let alone his girlfriends dad.

His one mission consisted of getting the cafeteria, picking something out for Hinata and getting to her.

Then hopefully leaving.

His luck had been pretty shitty lately, beside Hinata forgiving him and then fucking the everloving fuck out of him, which had been pretty great. But he knew it couldn't last forever. And having Sakura go off bat shit in front of Hiashi would probably be the worse thing he could think of.

Beside maybe a meteor falling from the sky and killing them all.

But just besides that.

The selection the hospital had was to be expected. Limited and unappealing. Not that he was one to find sweets appealing. But lucking (or unluckily), the trays of sweets were right next to the coffee station. The rest of the cafeteria almost completely cleared out beside the couple people working it.

Sasuke plucked up a prepackaged cinnamon bun and considered his self imposed mission basically a success.

"Six coffees." Hiashi ordered, a barista nodding her head and vanishing behind some esspresso machines.

"I can get my own."

Sasuke wished he had kept his mouth shut as soon as his eyes met the older mans. So similar to his girlfriend's, yet cold and icy. Foreboding.

"What are you Sasuke, thirty? Forty-five?"

Sasuke clenched jaw, trying not to lick his lips in annoyance. "I'm-"

"It's fucking irrelevant." Hiashi cut him off quickly.

It was harder than expected, for Sasuke to keep his poker face, his perfectly honed stone face perfect for boardroom meetings, courtroom monologues and anything else he'd need it for. It helped that his natural face was a usually a blank, frown or sometimes a sneer.

Sasuke said nothing, though his opponent wasn't finished.

Hiashi grabbed the cinnamon roll from his hand. "I'll get this for you, bud." He clapped his arm hard, jarring him as he albeit ripped the plastic container out of his grasp.

Hiashi leveled his stare straight faced, daring Sasuke to talk back against the obvious emasculating tactics Hinata's Dad was using against him.

"Hinata doesn't like coffee." Sasuke settled for instead, through gritted teeth.

Hiashi tilted his head, boring down further into him, but that kind of intimidation didn't really work. He grew up with a cop for a Dad, and his boss was one of the worst men he'd ever met. Hiashi Hyuuga wasn't going to scare him. But it was annoying.

Especially because the man wanted to have the tape measuring contest in the middle of a hospital cafeteria.

"You think you know more about Hinata then I do, do you?" He have off a little laugh, though his face never twitched unto a smile.

Sasuke wetted his lip for a moment and said nothing, still not looking away.

"That's rich. Cute almost." The word cute almost uttered as a curse word the man so greatly favored.

"No, no, sorry son, but no. See I don't have to worry about you. Hanabi, she's a wild card, and I'm gonna have to drive off this pathetic wet noodle," he glanced over at Udon, the poor kid looking like he was going to shit his pants. "But I don't have to give you a second thought."

Sasuke knew for a fact that his face didn't even twitch, not for a moment. But Hiashi proceeded anyways, acting as if a question had been raised.

"You don't think so? No? I do know my daughter, you pathetic little 'lawyer'. I might not have been the best Dad. I made some mistakes with Hinata. I didn't understand her then. But I do now. Hinata knows what she wants, you can't talk her out of it or into something else or any which way."

Sasuke finally did glance around, but it still looked like a ghost town, the only person around to team up with was fucking Udon and honestly Sasuke would trip him to save himself.

"That fucking teacher made sense." Hiashi continued. "But that lasted about a minute and a half. Then she went to Kumo and dated that fucking Otsutsuki and thought that would be it. Richer than you. Richer than me. What else would she need? But that didn't last. And you?"

Hiashi laughed again, still not smiling. "You, who's probably from country bum fuck nowhere, trying to to come to the city and became a lawyer and think you have some money. Pathetic. No, you're everything Hinata could've had and didn't. Want. And in whatever amount of time she decides to stop playing around with you, you'll be nothing."

Sasuke hadn't even noticed that his mask had slipped off until he felt his glare crushing his eye sockets and his jaw clenching, creating a migraine.

"Will that be everything?" The lady asked, popping back up.

Hiashi finally smirked at him, and turned slowly on his heels, setting down the cinnamon roll with exact care. "One hot chocolate please."

Walking back to the room was a tad bit worse of a journey now that Sasuke had truly figured out that Hinata's father was batshit crazy.

He had been trying to formulate some sort of excuse to leave without seeming like an insensitive asshole.

And at least he had Hiashi to thank for that.

"Well, sorry you have to leave, son. But proud of you for prioritizing your job." Hiashi announced as soon as they walked in.

Momentarily caught off guard, but almost thankful, Sasuke just nodded.

Clearing his throat awkwardly. "Feel better, Hanabi."

Hanabi turned, shooting finger guns at him in an awkward salute. "Later skater."

Hinata walked out of the room to bid Sasuke goodbye, with a sweet hug and kiss, which Sasuke would absolutely not admit was greatly appreciated.

"I'll see you later." She turned to rejoin her family, when Sasuke caught her wrist.

"You're going to stay with your sister for awhile?"

She nodded, looking at him confused.

Sasuke grabbed his keys out of his pocket, and grabbed his house key, fiddling with it for a moment before managing to slide it off the key ring.

"Just go to my apartment after. It's closer."

Holding the key out to her, she made no move to grab it, just staring at him in shock.

"Sasuke," she breathed. "You don't need to do that. My dad wouldn't mind taking me back to my apartment."

He reached down, grabbing her dainty wrist and pressed the key, forcefully into her hand.

"I want to see you when I get home."

Hinata looked up at him, eyes wide, cheeks spreading a healthy pink. She fought down a smile, looking down embarrassed. "Oh. Okay."

Sasuke didn't know why Hinata made him feel that way. The same feeling he had when Hinata had been going to lunch with Shino and Kiba. The feeling always bubbled up so quickly sometimes that he didn't get to think it through.

He grabbed her quickly, his mouth on her mouth so fast he could taste her 'okay'.

The soft material of her sweatshirt balled into his fists and her soft lips molded into his.

Fuck her dad. Fuck any of that shit that wasn't her and him.

He nodded. "Okay."


	22. Shitty Morning Shitty Day

Chapter 22

Could You Believe This Was Supposed To Come Out On Valentine's Day ( alternatively titled "Shitty Morning Shitty Day")

Sasuke knew that he could be a dramatic asshole. That he was a dramatic asshole. Most of the time. But stomping into his apartment, scowl on, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed just felt… so right?

He slammed the front door behind him, feeling the door hit the frame, the wood creaked and groaned with displeasure at its mistreatment. He almost sighed in satisfaction. Almost. But he had to stay in character.

"Good morning sunshine." Naruto smirked at him from the kitchen table. "Or not so good?"

Sasuke didn't answer. It had gone good. Until Hinata's dad had been the biggest asshole he had to deal with in a long, long while. And he worked for Orochimaru. His superior at work was fucking Kabuto. If Hinata's dad could out asshole Kabuto, that was really saying something.

"I thought because you didn't come back last night that you were getting some." Naruto continued to probe, sitting at the coffee table like some smug fuck.

He vaguely reminded Sasuke of his mom during high school, asking questions to things that she already knew the answer to. Waiting for him to incriminate himself. But he didn't have to explain himself to anyone, let alone Naruto. Of all people.

And yeah, he was getting some.

It was great.

"Fuck off." Sasuke snarled, stomping further into his apartment.

He was hungry, tired, and annoyed and wanted to spend more time with his girlfriend. There wasn't much he could do about most of those things right now. Really, he just had enough time to get presentable enough for work. Plus, rush his prep work he would've done last night.

"Oh, I gave Hinata my key. She'll be here later." Sasuke wasn't quite sure why he was warning Naruto. Maybe just so the lump of fuck wasn't naked, playing Call of Duty when Hinata showed up.

"Doesn't she have work?" Naruto asked.

"No."

"Well, how's she gonna get here?" Naruto asked.

Like Hinata had never brought herself over. Like she didn't have two legs and a phone app. Like there wasn't a single form of public transportation in this metropolitan oasis. The only way Hinata could possible move her body to any other location would of course be for Sasuke to go and get her. He knew that she probably preferred for him to drive her most places since it was cold as fuck and a long walk but to insinuate that she didn't have the ability to get around on her own would probably not be appreciated by her. Or himself.

Deciding that monologue of his girlfriend's aptitude to maneuver herself around just fine would fall onto Naruto's idiot ears and not actually be considered and a waste of his time.

"The hospital is only a few block away from here, I'm sure she'll figure out a way, some way, some how, to get there. Just leave her alone when she does."

After that rather lengthy explanation, Sasuke felt like his duty to communicate to his roommate was completed.

Kudos to him.

Naruto did not feel this way.

"The hospital? Hinata's at the hospital? I thought you said that it went well? What the fuck dude." Naruto sounded on the verge of hysterics.

Sasuke's eyes closed momentarily, and he was able to have a brief imagination of what his life would be like without Naruto. Quieter. Peaceful. He pressed down on the bridge of his nose so hard he was sure it was going to leave a red mark. Sighing, to prepare himself for this, what appeared to be, a much longer encounter than necessary. He did everything in his power to keep his sigh from becoming some kind of animalistic growl.

He could feel the headache coming on that accompanied any conversation that went on longer than needed.

"Her sister got in a car accident." He clipped through clenched teeth. "She and her asshole dad are there checking on her."

Feeling like the talk was more than sufficient enough and should've been long over, Sasuke stalked down to his bedroom. He had never been late to work, or unprepared, and he didn't plan on starting that trend now.

Naruto's laugh followed him to his bedroom. "Somebody doesn't like 'daddy'?"

The usage of that cursed word haunted Sasuke to his core.

"Fuck off." Sasuke moved to kick his door shut behind him, but unfortunately Naruto was now quick enough the step into between the door and frame, stopping it in its tracks with his stupidly buff body.

Sasuke could distinctly recall the old days of being able to beat the fuck out of his friend when he wanted to. Now, Sasuke could only hold onto the fact that he made more money.

And had a better girlfriend.

"Don't worry bud. Most people have to deal with the 'overbearing dad'."

Sasuke took a deep breath in through his nose, and decided against trying to kill him and instead just moved to the closet.

"Almost every dad I've dated has hated me."

Sasuke paused, ready to rip a button up shirt off a hanger. His eyebrow quirked fractionally, wondering if it was worth grilling Naruto for the statement he just made.

After an awkward silence, where Naruto also seemed to notice his folly. "Fuck that's not what I meant."

"You sure?" Sasuke grumbled, half heartedly. He didn't get enough sleep to tease.

"You know what I'm saying." Naruto continued.

"Really wish I didn't."

"Take right now, for instance. Inoichi fucking hates me. He grills me every time Ino drags me over to their fucking house. Plus, I have to see him at work sometimes and it's just bullshit."

Sasuke couldn't get his last confrontation with Hiashi out of his mind, and almost had a sliver of sympathy for his best friend. Almost.

"Get the fuck out of my room."

Naruto made an angry cat noise, but uncharacteristically obliged. "Want me to grab you some coffee."

Sasuke paused, letting this one tiny example solidify in his mind of why Naruto had managed to stay his friend after this many years.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted.

Not even twenty minutes, later, redressed in a new, clean suit, coffee in hand, briefcase arranged with his necessary documents. He was able to look over them sufficiently enough to leave and still get to work early. As he did everyday.

Early and prepared for… the most boring work day of his life.

Sasuke was a workaholic by nature and took a large load home with him everyday. Though this had slowed minorly with the addition of Hinata in his life, it wasn't by much. Work had always come first, he took great pride in his job. But he liked spending time with Hinata too. Maybe even more. Luckily, Hinata spent her fair share of time on work projects as well. It was one of the things Sasuke most admired about her.

Her dedication to her students and the time and effort she spent on her class would've been impressive even if Sasuke wasn't in love with her.

He was, though. So it was doubly so.

Even with spending his precious evening with Hinata, the workday was slow. He had a record low of emails, and somehow, his team had actually done the things they had been tasked with.

Sasuke's team was handpicked by himself, all exceptional lawyers. But Karin and Suigetsu specifically were known for getting off task. Suigetsu could almost always be found standing next to the water cooler, doing nothing but guzzling water in the hallway and talking loudly to whomever walked by. Karin had a fifty/fifty chance of either trying to micromanage Suigetsu all day or lingering in Sasuke's office even after being dismissed.

Jugo though, he had no complaints. A quiet, hard working colleague who became a complete monster in the courtroom was a perfect asset in his team. If Sasuke could just have a team of Jugos, he would.

Sasuke drummed his fingers on his desk, trying to blink himself awake after almost falling asleep during his one conference call scheduled for the day.

Leaning his elbow on the desk, resting his forehead on his fist, he was plagued with thoughts of last night. His awful inner monologue of possibly having kids with Hinata someday that embarrassed himself, even in his mind. By himself. Hinata's cute panda hears. Her crazy ass sister. Udon, being pathetic.

Hinata's dad.

Hiashi. From just looks, he was almost just a short and chubby old man. But he was a CEO of a major corporation, a strong and powerful man. Who made it abundantly clear that he did not like Sasuke. Nor did he think Sasuke's relationship with his daughter was something he even needed to concern himself with.

What has he said specifically?

He'd mentioned Shino. Or Sasuke assumed to be the aforementioned 'that teacher'. Hiashi had said that it made sense, their relationship.

Which I hind sight, Sasuke had to begrudgingly admit to. If Hinata was giving up her possible future in her father's company, changing her major and setting herself on a new path, seeking out a boyfriend with similar goals did make the most sense. 'But Hinata had dated Shino before she switched her major?' He tried to rack his brain for the exact timeline but they hadn't had a very deep discussion about it. Regardless if she had switched her major yet, she still could've been attracted to those interests.

Sasuke ground his face harder into his fists in agitation.

But the second one.

Otsutsuki.

Sasuke knew next to nothing about that person. Hiashi had some interesting information on that as well. 'Richer than you. Richer than me. What else would she need?'

Sasuke sat up straighter, blinking a couple times to refocus. He had an almost photographic memory and had never had problems with remembering anything. But Otsutsuki wasn't ringing very many bells.

Hiashi had mentioned an Otsutsuki at dinner as well.

Had Hinata mentioned dating someone while she was in Kumo?

Sighing is self-defeat, Sasuke pulled up Google. He hummed momentarily to himself, fingers hovering over the keys, pausing to even figure out what he should punch into the search engine. Letting out a short breath and trying to forget how pathetic he actually was. He decided to go the simplest route.

'Otsutsuki Kumo' was the only thing typed after hitting enter.

He never pretended to be creative.

Otsutsuki Corporations on Wikipedia was the first thing that popped up, second with the corporations actual website. After that was the newest articles about what the company was currently doing. He clicked on the company page first. Scrolling through but not finding what he was looking for (he didn't give a fuck about their actual business), he opened a new tab.

'Otsutsuki Corp CEO'

"Toneri Otsutsuki?" Sasuke mumbled.

"Who is that?"

If Sasuke was anyone else. Anyone at all. He would've shit his pants. Or at least jumped out of his chair. Unfortunately he was all too used to this sort of behavior.

Without even a facial twitch, not even looking away from the screen. "Do you need something, Karin?"

The redhead next to him ignored the question.

"Is this a new client?" She asked instead.

"No." He clipped.

He scanned over the quick facts of Toneri Otsutsuki. He was older than Sasuke, by more years than he would've guessed. If this really was Hinata's ex-boyfriend, Sasuke would not be the oldest guy she had dated. Or the most successful. He skipped over date of birth, place of birth. It might as well have been the moon, he didn't give a fuck about it. He scanned through all the other useless shit, until he stopped at net worth.

And everything stopped.

His eyes first. His brain. His heart. His body. Time froze.

'How many fucking zeros was that?'

"Wow that guy's super rich." Karin commented.

Sasuke's lip twitched into a snarl. 'No fucking shit, Karin!' He seethed inwardly.

"Who is that?"

Sasuke jumped a little that time. Jugo was now standing next to Karin, nonchalantly looking at the computer. How did Sasuke not notice either of them come in? Or hear them knock? Why were they even in here?

"I don't know. I've already asked."

Sasuke, finally realizing that he was acting like a complete dweeb in front of his own team. He quickly pressed the back button out of Toneri Otsutsuki's wiki page.

"Nothing, now if you don't mind-"

He trailed off as an article caught his eye on the google homepage. He hadn't given it a second thought at first. The title of the link was something generic about the CEO, but it was the smaller letters in the description that had Sasuke clicking the page.

He scrolled till he had found the paragraph he was looking for.

'Mr. Otsutsuki's relationship with his new girlfriend, Hinata Hyuga, is controversial on multiple fronts.' It began. It listed off each reason, being backed by a multitude of different information. It made a case for her age, being more than ten years younger than him. Her affiliation with Hyuga Corp and how that would affect the Otsutsuki business. Her, at the time, in school to become a teacher, a point they were trying to make about her not caring about his business, which Sasuke found ludacris.

Suigetsu popped his head through the door. "Oh ho ho? Who didn't invite me to the party?"

"Me." Karin snapped quickly.

The sharp headache that Sasuke had been suffering through since his talk with Hiashi Asshole Hyuga quadrupled.

"Sasuke, is this woman important to you?" Jugo asked, sympathetically tapping Sasuke on the shoulder.

Jugo was taller than Sasuke, with almost a bodybuilder physique. He had never asked Jugo if he lifted in his personal time. Sasuke had always tried his hardest to not ask any unnecessary questions that didn't pertain to work with any of his fellow colleagues. But Jugo was one of his more favored, at least compared to Suigetsu and Karin, whom he tolerated just because of their close work proximity. There was a fair amount of respect he had for Jugo who was usually the least problematic out of the bunch. That respect was the only thing that stopped him from entertaining the idea of tearing his hand off.

Suigetsu's eyes lit up with the juicy tidbits of information and there was nothing stopping him from slinking with his slimy little smirk. Nothing.

"So, that's your girlfriend?" He guessed, pointing to Hinata, hanging onto Toneri Otsutsuki's arm.

Sasuke didn't respond.

Suigetsu was undeterred. "Your girlfriend, dated a multimillionaire, and now, is with you."

'Before that, she dated a guy with an anaconda dick.' Sasuke lemented.

He could never compete with size, for the first time in his life. He had never thought his cock could've been a problem. He was usually on the bigger to biggest end at the gym showers. But leave it to Hinata to have gotten fuck by a horse dick.

And now his paycheck was possibly too small. He knew he didn't make as much as Hinata had been raised, but she had dated one of the richest men in the whole world.

How did one woman crush him so effortlessly.

His hand found the straw in his pocket. Hinata. The girl that got him the straw and then ignored him. How had he got her to fall in love with him? Her good qualities were innumerable.

But his?

He knew she wasn't shallow or materialistic. She must've seen something in him that she deemed worth her time.

But what?

Did he really care? It didn't matter as long as he got to keep her. Keeping her was one of the only things that mattered to him now.

"Sasuke is an amazing catch, you fucking dick." Karin hissed. "Plus we don't know if that's his girlfriend. He doesn't have a girlfriend."

"That's my girlfriend."

Sasuke didn't want to admit to being pathetic in front of them, but there was too much hope in Karin's voice to let that slide. He needed to shut her down as soon as possible.

"So you're stalking your girlfriends ex's?" Suigetsu snickered.

"Googling people isn't a crime!" Karin defended.

"You'd know!" He jeered.

"What are you guys even doing in here?" He asked.

"I'm board." Suigetsu shrugged.

"We finished our assignment." Karin amended.

Sasuke slunk back into his chair, praying for the sweet release of death.

It never came.

The end of his work day did though. He had never been so happy to leave his building, hop into his own car and head for his apartment. Where Hinata would be waiting.

Just as relief had settled into Sasuke's shoulders, blaring sirens and flashing blue and red lights directly behind him had him immediately pulling over to the nearest curb. Looking to see if the it was some other emergency vehicle, but the white silhouette of a Crown Victoria was unforgiving. And so was its projected course; pulling over right behind Sasuke.

Forcing himself to calm down, he shuffled through his glove box, searching for the necessary papers. As the officer approached, Sasuke lowered his windows.

The face was immediately recognizable, tan skin, scruffy brown hair. Inuzuka was etched into the front of his shirt. Kiba.

"License and registration."

Sasuke was about to lose his ever loving mind. "You have got to be shitting me." He practically threw the paperwork out of his window.

Kiba caught it with ease. "Do you know why I pulled you over today…" He paused, holding Sasuke's license close to his face. "Daisuke?"

"Because you're insane?"

Their glares matched.

"Why don't you step out of the car?" Kiba more demanded than suggested.

Sasuke opened his door as quick as he could, hitting Kiba with it. Unapologetically. Once out of his car, standing on the side of the road, hundreds of people grid locked on the city roads, hundreds of people walking on the grimy side walks around them, but right now, there was only Sasuke and Kiba. He was taller than Kiba, by a inch or so, and was taking full advantage of it, arms crossed, glaring down at him.

"Tenten called me last night." Kiba started.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

"She told me Hinata cried all weekend, didn't get out of bed. Shino told me she arranged for a substitute for the entire week."

Sasuke let his head lull back for a moment, eyes dropping closed, listening to the cars honk and people talk all around them. The city was loud. Deafening. He was hearing Kiba's words clearly, letting them skin in, making his heart heavy. He knew he had been wrong. That he hurt Hinata. He had already reconciled it within himself, it would never happen again. He didn't need Kiba reminding him.

"Is this what you fucking pulled me over for? This what my tax dollars go to pay for? 'Konoha's finest' my fucking ass." Sasuke could feel the veins bulging in his temples and wondered if he looked anything like his father right now. "How do you even know this is my car?" Sasuke continued. "This sounds like a gross misuse of city funds to me."

Hinata had said something similar when he wanted to bring her coffee. Before he knew she liked hot chocolate. The way she said it was cute, playful. Sasuke's was a threat.

Kiba's jaw clenched. "I just want to make sure my friend is okay."

Sasuke snearned. "Hn. 'My girlfriend'" He enunciated slowly, "Is perfectly fine. She's at my apartment. It was a misunderstanding. Nothing more."

Sasuke inner compass flinched at his lie. He knew he had actually fucked up. Kiba didn't need to though.

"So unless you're going to give me an actual ticket, I'm gonna go see her now."

Kiba let out a breath through his nose, huffing childishly. He paused for a moment, mentally filling through his options before hanging back Sasuke's paperwork.

"Drive safe now." Kiba sneered, gutting Sasuke shoulder with his as he walked passed him.

Sasuke had not felt the sheer, overwhelming relief of returning to his own apartment, his own space, his safe haven, in a long time.

And it was ruined when he saw Naruto and Hinata. Specifically Naruto. In proximity to Hinata.

They hadn't even noticed him come in.

They were overlooking a rather large pot on the stove, not standing scandalously close together, but closer than Sasuke had ever felt comfortable viewing them. Naruto was stirring the contents idley, switching his attention from the food to Hinata as he rambled on. Probably about something idiotic.

Hinata smiled, almost a serene look on her face as she nodded along, appropriately following Naruto's story.

A twisting, sinking, unpleasant feeling clenched Sasuke heart. And stomach. And… everything.

Never had he wanted to kick Naruto out of his apartment more. For something as simple as taking Hinata's attention?

Yes.

Sasuke moved passed them. He needed a fucking drink. He had needed one hours ago. He needed more than one. Fuck it. He had half a mind to just turn around and find the closest bar in proximity to his apartment. Sasuke had lived long enough to know that 'drinking yourself happy' was impossible. Or improbable. At least for him. But he was willing to give it another go.

"Sasuke." Hinata beamed.

She easily abandoned Naruto and whatever shit story he was going off about and stepped towards him, wrapping her arms gently around his waist. They fell into the hug easily, his arm wrapping around her, the other still holding the fridge door open. She breathed in lightly, looking up at him.

"How was work?" Her voice was calm and soft.

Sasuke clenched his jaw, not really wanting to admit that Hinata was more relaxing than any drink he could dig out of the back of his fridge. Torn between admitting Hinata was the perfect thing to see when he came home and just whisking her off to his room to snuggle her and pass the fuck out.

He shrugged his shoulder, feigning nonchalance, shutting the fridge behind him. Hinata's arms loosened, but Sasuke wrapped his more securely around her. Without any resistance, she settled against him, accepting it with ease, resting her head against his chest.

"How was yours?" Sasuke countered, not wanting to answer.

"I tried to take a nap, but then Naruto and I just watched TV and then we made…" She trailed off, looking over to the blonde for assistance.

"Budae Jjigae." He supplied, easily.

Hinata nodded, smiling back up at Sasuke. "Yeah."

Her face was so open, so cute. Her ears were still poking out, hair pulled back. Drowning in a baggy sweatshirt.

"Hn, yeah?" Sasuke teased easily.

She giggled, nodding.

Flirting with her was so easy. He wanted to just bend her over and kiss her.

But. Fucking. Naruto.

Sasuke was well aware the the idiot had been standing at the stove, stirring his concoction one handed, opening staring at him and Hinata. His eyes glued to Sasuke's arms, wrapped around Hinata's body. Hinata, snuggled tight against his chest. Her face looking up to him. His looking down to her. It was a sweet, intimate, romantic moment.

Except for fucking. Naruto.

Sasuke looked back to Hinata. He could ignore Naruto for his girlfriend.

"Did you help?" He asked.

Hinata's wars turned pink, and her eyes slid down, as she hit her lip, sheepishly.

"Your girlfriend is the worst." Naruto cut in.

Hinata sighed, lamenting.

"Awful, just terrible. Did you know that?"

"Shut the fuck up dope." Sasuke did know that, but he had to defend Hinata on principal. Sasuke took another step closer to the pot.

"It's ramen." Sasuke's voice was flat. How was he not surprised. "Is that cheese. Who puts cheese in - there's fucking hot dogs in this."

Sasuke went through a slow emotional rollercoaster with viewing this red broth based stew. It smelled fine, spicy and exotic, as if the name itself didn't give away that it was foreign food.

"Just try it you big baby. Hina said that you guys try foreign food all the time."

"Don't call her that." Sasuke sneered.

He looked down to Hinata, questioningly.

She gave him a soft little smile. "Come on, let's just try it."

"Yeah, common dad." Naruto teased.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, letting go of Hinata and made his way over to the table.

"Yay!" Naruto cheered.

Less than a half an hour later, Sasuke was dragging Hinata down to his bedroom. "It wasn't that bad, was it?" She asked, shuffling down his hallway with him.

Sasuke shrugged, but Hinata wasn't put off by his non answer. "It was spicy." She continued.

"You like spicy."

"Sometimes." She nodded.

"You chew cinnamon gum."

"That's not really spicy."

Sasuke shrugged again.

Entering his room, it looked mostly the way Sasuke had left it, the morning before last when he left for work. Except for the rumpled bed. He always made his bed.

"Goldilocks." Sasuke accused.

She giggled. "I was so tired so I just laid down for a little. I like the curtains by the way."

If Sasuke had the capacity to blush, he would've but looked away, not meeting her eyes.

"But I couldn't actually sleep because Naruto was playing Call of Duty."

Sasuke's brain felt like a misfiring circuit board. Like coffee being poured on his keys. 'I specIFICALLY FUCKING TOLD HIM' he seethed. He left like going out and screaming it in his damn face but decided that throwing his girlfriend down the mattress would be more a more fulfilling end to his day.

But first -

"Sasuke," Hinata stood behind. "Are you making the bed?"

He pulled up each individual layer of the bed on his own. "I don't know who raised you, but this is what you're supposed to do after you mess it up." He admonished half heartedly.

"We're about to get in it." She giggled.

Sasuke didn't reply, instead, hooked his arm around Hinata's waist and pulled her onto the bed with him. She laughed for a second before Sasuke's mouth covered hers. Her hands came up to his cheeks, soft and gentle. He wasn't looking for soft and gentle.

He tugged her sweatshirt off easily, messing up her bun and letting little spring of her bangs out. Not the it mattered. He would do much more damage than that to her hair in a few moments. His fingers barley tugged on her bra strap in his silent request and she complied easily.

She reached for his button up but he grabbed her pants first.

"I want you naked."

"Romantic." She smirked at him, shimmying out of her pants at his behest anyways. "Makes me wondering what you'll do for Valentine's Day."

Both Sasuke and Hinata froze, staring at each other. Sasuke stopped cold himself because he realize that February 14th was that week and he had nothing planned. Not that he was a particular fan himself of the needless holiday, but he knew Hinata would enjoy it. He needed to put effort into it, to show Hinata how much she meant to him. It was the least he could do.

"Valentine's Day is this Friday." Hinata stated, a hint of something emotional on the edge of her voice.

…He had yet to plan something though...

Hinata couldn't know that, could she?

"I took the whole week off." Hinata's voice got quieter and quieter. "All the decorations for my students. The candy. Our class party. I ruined it. Sasuke, I ruined it."

Sasuke had seen Hinata look heartbroken before. Recently. This was giving him a dangerous sense of deja vu.

Sasuke grabbed her naked arm, pulling her into a hug. "Hey, hey." He called her attention back the present. His room. Dimmer not that he had curtains. "It's okay."

"No. I'm the worst, most selfish teacher ever." She sniffed.

"That's doubtful."

She didn't reply.

He sighed, trying to rack his brain on how he should handle the situation. Obviously they were no longer going to have sex. She was sad, so he couldn't just go to sleep.

How could he fix her?

"You should still do it?"

She pulled back to look up at him, clearly confused.

"Still do the things you were planning on, even if it's on Monday. They're five years old, they won't care if it's late. If anything they'll probably like having crafts and treats and a party on a day where no other class is. And I'm sure your substitute will do something for them on the actual day."

Sasuke's only knowledge of children was his nephews, and he had abandoned one of them on hill when they went sledding not two months prior. So he might've not been most qualified person to give her teaching advice. He just didn't want her to be sad anymore.

It was his fault in he first place that she had gotten a sub for that long.

She had cried and didn't get out of bed. That's what Kiba had said.

Hinata was still looking at him skeptically.

"Come on baby." He rubbed her arm softly. "Get on your Pinterest board, I'd bet twenty bucks you have a board on there just for Valentine's crafts."

She smiled at him, sheepishly as he reached over on the side table for her cellphone. Sasuke drew back the blanket for her to crawl under.

"Wait," On the ground, he grabbed Hinata's discarded clothes. He tossed her sweatshirt back at her and put her bra on the chair.

Still unable to leave anything on the floor.

Her eyes snapped from her phone back to his face, in complete shock.

"You grabbed this… for me?"

She was acting like he had cured cancer of something. All he had done was pick up her own clothes off the floor and given them back to her.

"Hn." He turned to head into his closet to put his own pajamas on, but Hinata was crawling off of the bed.

Her hand grabbed his wrist, stalling him. She pulled him down for a kiss, which he allowed easily. Her kiss was more heated than he expected and in half a second they were back to making out. Her hands brushed down his chest and onto his work slacks, her small fingers grabbing onto the belt loops.

She pulled back. "Can I?" She was blushing deeply and her voice was shy, quiet.

Sasuke wasn't a hundred percent sure what she meant by that, but if he was even a little bit close the answer would always be yes. To keep some of his cool, he just gave her one nod.

Her fingers unbuttoned and unzipped him deftly, and she dropped to her knees as she dropped his pants.

Yes, the night had certainly turned around for the better.


	23. What Time Do You Think He Go Home?

"Are you sure you don't want to go out?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata just smiled.

Sasuke's table was covered in crafting supplies again. Construction paper in reds and pinks lay in stacks with glitter glue and stickers and massive piles of over priced, Valentine theme mini candies.

Sasuke was getting a fresh wave of Valentine nostalgia from grade school. His cubbie jam packed with homemade declarations of love, with his Valentines always containing more candy than the rest. The gestures were wasted on him, but secretly, greatly appreciate by Naruto who he pawned them off to.

Naruto who had kindly taken a work shift Valentines evening with the excuse of being out of Sasuke and Hinata's way.

Sasuke suspected it was just so Naruto could avoid doing anything for Ino on one of her favorite holidays of the year.

Sasuke stood at the counter, scrutinizing his girlfriend with narrowed eyes.

Hinata looked up from the red card stock in her hand, rigged scissors paused open. She laughed a little, at his assessment of her.

"Yes, Sasuke." She promised, still smiling.

Sasuke scrunched his nose again.

Hinata had been adamant that she wanted to stay in on Valentine's Day.

Technically it was less of a headache for him. Sasuke much preferred staying in to going out. Even if it meant getting tiny scraps of pink paper all over his kitchen floor. But he couldn't help but feel like this was some sort of trick.

Girls loved Valentine's Day. Making a big deal about it was what he was expected to do. Right?

Right?!

"Stop glaring at me." She giggled.

He rolled his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Hinata laughed again. "And if I wasn't?" She taunted playfully. "I'm sure every restaurant is packed, booked out for weeks."

"I could make something work." Sasuke scoffed, confidently.

"I'm sure you could." Hinata obliged his ego, delicately. "But," She paused, dipping her shoulder. "You said I could pick."

Sasuke bit his cheek. "Hn."

"Hn?" She hummed back.

Sasuke glared lazily back at her, observing her giggles. She had curled her hair and was wearing a dress, grey with a wrap in the front. 'She's fucking cute.' He grumbled inwardly. She also had on her very first present from him, her earring.

And now, a matching bracelet. He had gifted her the diamond wristlet that morning before he left for work. Handing her the box unceremoniously with a caveman like "here" - grunt. Her thankful kisses had made him forty-five minutes late into the office.

She had gotten cute, for him. There's no way this wasn't some sort of fucking trap.

He got started on dinner anyways. Getting out the groceries that he had meticulously picked out on the way home.

"Are you sure there isn't something else you want to do." Sasuke pressed.

"Oh, Naruto recorded a movie for me yesterday. On LifeTime. A Valentine's Day one."

Sasuke's resting bitch face intensified. Hinata had been spending most of her week off with him, at his place. But Sasuke himself, still had to work. Leaving plenty of bonding time between Hinata and Naruto.

Which shouldn't have bothered Sasuke.

Really, it shouldn't have.

It did.

"We don't have to watch it." Hinata mistook Sasuke's sour face.

"It's fine." Sasuke at his kitchen counter. "Couldn't be worse than that Christmas one we watched."

"I didn't even get to finish it." Sasuke, glanced over in time to see her pouty bottom lip slip out in a pout.

Her lips were glossed, making them look even plumpier and poutier than usual. He only got to feel them for a second when she pecked him in greeting when he arrived. She had grabbed his briefcase and jacket for him, taking them to his room for her.

The OCD part of him twinged at imaging her just dropping his stuff on the floor. Or the bed.

But, it was a sweet, sexy, gesture. So he accepted it.

Now he was wishing that he got a better kiss. But that could wait till later.

He cleaned his throat when his eyes met Hinata's. He was caught staring.

"Well," He sniffed. "It's still recorded."

"I can watch it too?"

Sasuke grimace. "Double feature."

Hinata laughed at his obvious distaste of the idea. "Or not."

Sasuke turned back to the fridge, bringing two bottles of wine for the occasion. He had bought a rather expensive red and white, unsure of which one Hinata would want. Now, the indecision was coming in handy.

Hinata covered her mouth, snorting. Cheeks, warming rosy with embarrassment.

Sasuke turned away to smile.

The wine had really been a joke. Sasuke, still looking for any hint that this all really was a trick, was planning on being the most attentive boyfriend ever. At least, by his standards.

But as the hours drug on, the wine became less of a joke a more of a necessity. She worked on the valentines the entire time he was making dinner. She did pause to eat with him, which she appreciated and thanked him multiple times. He then turned on her silly, old lady movies, and then, the hours rolled by.

Sasuke thought he was going to die of boredom. Or from drowning in Merlot and Chardonnay.

He had promised to help Hinata, but gluing the pre cut out pieces was bland, factory esq work.

"How many of these are we doing?" Sasuke groaned sometime at one am.

"I have twenty-six students." She explained.

"Isn't there some of them you don't like?" He grumbled.

She giggled. "Sasuke, are you drunk... on wine?"

He rested his head on his fist, humming. Wine would not have been his first choice. He sighed. "Are we done yet?"

"Almost." She promised.

Sasuke yawned, quietly, covering his mouth. He moved to stand, stretching his back when Hinata caught his wrist.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes narrowed at him.

"I'm not bailing on you." He tried to shake her off softly. "I just want to change. I've worn these all day." He gestured to his work clothes.

She didn't let go, instead looking down at the table, and stood with him.

"Hinata," he rolled his eyes. "I'll come right back."

She let go of his wrist but didn't back down, shaking her head softly, letting her curls bounce. "It's okay. I should change too. It's late."

He followed her to his bedroom, watching her walk ahead of him. Grateful for the view.

Once he arrived at his room, he was shocked by an entirely different view.

His curtains had been pulled back, and instead, pink, heart shaped sticky notes had been placed on every single inch on the plane of glass.

"Did you do this?" Sasuke asked stepping forward.

Hinata didn't answer right away, but Sasuke was too busy to notice. Because after he moved further into the room, his body froze. On every single one, something was written. Something about him.

'I love the way you say my name.'

'The way your hair looks when you first wake up.'

'I love when you surprise me at work.'

'I love your real smile.'

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was seeing. She had really filled out every single one of them?

"I know it's kind of a cheap present, but, I took this whole week off, a-and and kind of wasted the rest of my money on this."

Sasuke finally tore his eyes away from the sticky notes to see what else she could've been talking about.

Her wrap dress was currently being unwrapped, and his throat felt like it was being constricted. Underneath her dress had been gorgeous, shiny satin lingerie.

His hands went up to her hips as her dress slowly dropped to the floor.

"Do I look okay?" Hinata asked self consciously.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed, his hand caressing the soft material across her hip bone, his eyes glued to her cleavage.

He wanted to scream 'Fuck yes!'

Instead, her pushed her back, softly. He had basically knocked her back onto the floor, shimming off her lace underwear as fast as he possibly could.

He didn't usually go down girls he was with. He never pretended he wasn't selfish, and if felt like just bore of a time.

But, as he had thought many, many times before. Hinata was different. In a hundred, thousand ways, she was so different from any other girl he had dated.

He wanted to make her happy. Wanted to make her want to be with him.

And from the grip in his hair, he was fairly sure he was doing a good job.

Honestly, he could've been doing awful. He was pretty drunk. Even after he quit drinking, he was metabolizing more and more of it as the minutes went by. He was only going to get more sloppy at this. Which he regretted.

Deeply.

But still, he was willing to see this venture through to the end.

She had been so fucking sexy in her lingerie. Now, he couldn't get it off her fast enough.

Hinata seemed to feel the same about his clothes. After a few minutes, time was truly unknown, she had basically pushed him off of her when she was finished. Eager to get on to the main course.

He was half afraid she was going to rip his buttons off on his shirt.

An idea popped into his head. An idea that had been playing in his mind since he had met Hinata's family, little after they had become a couple. Not so long ago really. The thought that bad been stuck in his head since if first heard her say, that word.

Now, being drunk enough, he finally felt the courage to actually voice what he had been toying with.

"Hinata?" He asked as soon as there was a millisecond break in there kiss.

Hinata herself, did not quit kissing him. Her fingers were still pulling down his office shirt over his shoulders. "Hm?"

His fingers curled into her hair, pulling her head back a fraction. "Can you do me a favor?"

Sasuke awoke in the morning with a raging headache. Wine hangovers. He shuddered at the prospect of his new found consciousness. Exasperated after only a moment of being awake, Sasuke shifted to rub his face. Only, he tried, but both of his arms seemed to be trapped.

His very sexy, and equally sleepy girlfriend was laying across his chest, like a newborn baby. Fast asleep, and peacefully crushing his lung cavity. Sasuke leaned his head back onto his pillow. He took a slow, shallow breath, unable to get in anymore air than that, but he also didn't want to wake her with a sigh. Slowly, he wiggled his fingers, not out from under her, just to make sure blood could still flow to them.

'Damn,' he inwardly swore looking down at Hinata's pink cheeks. She really was beautiful. Her bangs were mused and her curls had gotten frizzy. Dark shadows were smugged around her eyes from not removing her makeup last night. But still, Sasuke didn't think he had ever found someone as genuinely pretty as Hinata.

His chest clenched again when he glanced over at the window.

'She really filled out every single one of them?' Drunk him couldn't hardly believe it, but sober him was having a hard time with it as well. Each individual sticky note was filled out with something about him. Every space on the window was filled.

Was there even that many redeemable qualities about him?

How did she view him like that?

How did he ever find her?

His chest felt like it had been hollowed out with a melon baller.

He didn't deserve her.

Ever so slowly he inched her off of his chest, until she slid off, softly rolling onto her side of the bed.

'Her side.'

Yes, it was now, her side.

Sasuke grabbed the blankets, raising them around her and tucking her in tight. She looked so tired, they had stayed up so late. He thought about kissing her cheek for a moment but he wanted her to sleep as long as she wanted, without disturbing her.

Stretching for a moment, he grabbed a pair of joggers and a plain black t-shirt. Quickly, he went to work, picking up the discarded clothes they had left out the night before. Usually, he would never be able to sleep with the mess, but last night had been decidedly different than most nights.

Sasuke smirked again, folding up Hinata's attire from last night and placing them in the drawer. Since she has stayed almost a week straight, he had finally cleaned out small space for her to keep some things.

His eyebrow twitched once we walked back out to his kitchen? Had they really left the dishes out and everything? His TV was still on and all of Hinata's craft supplies were left out.

He rubbed the crease between his eyebrows, only a little annoyed.

The trade off had been worth it, but Sasuke LIKED things to be clean. He did. And he was hung over. He didn't feel like cleaning anything. All he wanted to do was go back and lay down with Hinata.

But the mess was a siren call, pulling him away from his desires.

He sighed.

He was definitely going to have to order breakfast. He pulled up an app and ordered it quickly before starting on his kitchen.

It was only a minute or two after the doorbell rang that Hinata wandered out of his room. No longer stark naked, she was draped in her usual sleeping garments that she donned while staying with him. Leggings, wool socks and one of his sweatshirts.

"You cleaned up." She noted. Her voice was raspy, she was still obviously sleepy. She slunk next to him like a cat, brushing past, her arms wrapping around his waist, settling her head against his chest. Her hair was still a little frizzy but it looked like she had ran her fingers through it, trying to tame it.

It was obvious after sex hair.

After AMAZING sex hair.

The sex had been so good, he was almost worried that it would be a little embarrassing in the morning. Like back when he was in high school.

But, Hinata was still Hinata. He loved her. His hands brushed through her hair.

"Hn."

"Sorry," She looked up at him, through batting eyelashes.

A different door in the apartment clicked open, startling both Sasuke and Hinata. Breaking their eye contact to watch Naruto waltz into the kitchen.

"That smells fucking delish. What is that, cake?" He yawned, sitting himself down at the table.

"Who would eat cake for breakfast?" Sasuke asked, incredulously.

Naruto just shrugged, ruffling the back of his hair, smirking at him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's-"

"Cinnamon rolls!" Hinata squeaked, peaking around his shoulder.

Sasuke bit cheek. "Hn."

He let go of her to grab a plate. After learning about the pastries existence, Hinata had perked up considerably.

"When did you get in, Naruto?" Hinata asked, politely.

"Oh, you know, pretty early." Naruto answered vaguely.

Hinata grabbed one of Sasuke small plates with her cinnamon roll place delicately in the center.

"Do you want one?" Hinata asked.

"Wow, Hinata, you're so sweet. Sasuke never shares anything. Yes, I would love one!"

Sasuke ground his teeth.

Hinata beamed.

He grabbed another plate anyways, trying to pick the smallest, least frosted cinnamon roll out of the package.

"Well, you must be doing something right with your fat ass. I didn't hear you come in." Sasuke sneered drooping the plate unceremoniously in from of his friend.

"That's because, I'm considerate, you know."

Sasuke paused, looking at Naruto. There was something about the dumbasses smirk that was unnerving. He recognized it from high school and even their freshmen year old college. Something particularly shit eating.

A cold chill ran down his spine. He glanced at Hinata, hoping that she be spared, while he waited for the other foot to drop.

Hinata, sweet, innocent Hinata was still sitting down on the opposite side of the table. Sasuke's one wish was that she was spared from whatever was transpiring between them.

Naruto looked down at the cinnamon roll. "Thanks…" When his eyes moved back up, Sasuke knew he was in the trap. The look of complete victory on Naruto's eyes almost made him want to throw up, and it was not because of last night Chardonnay. "...Daddy."

All Sasuke could hear was Hinata's plate shattering on the floor.


	24. How Do You Like Them Eggplants

Straw Saga 24

How Do You Like Them Eggplants

Sasuke hated Hinata's apartment. Hated it. It was too small. In a terrible part of town. He had constant anxiety about his car being keyed or stolen out of sheer spite from the neighborhood delinquent vagrants.

It was also happened to be a longer commute to his work.

Which was annoying as fuck. Considering he stayed their every single night.

He groaned again, flopping back onto her much smaller bed. The springs squeaked their displeasure. He huffed right back at them. They could fuck the ever loving fuck straight off-

"As soon as I'm done with the glue gun we can switch places." Hinata promised.

Sasuke opened his eyes, and glared down the nose at his girlfriend. She sat, perfectly content at his desk, colored construction paper bits in one hand, brandishing a hot glue gun like a wild west cowboy. She did not look to be hurrying one bit, either.

He slunk back down on the bed. Squeaks ensued.

Somebody, or somebodies, shuffled down the hallway, whispering together through paper thin walls. Their muffled voices, were actually not so muffled, as Hinata's roommates 'shooshed' to each other in a back and forth.

"Maybe, their having sex?" One asked.

"It seems kind of early for that."

"Should we still ask?"

Sasuke cracked back open his eyes to watch Hinata. Her own were wide open, aghast, her face turning tomato red. Sasuke wanted to laugh. Especially since Hinata had a sort of phobia of people knowing when they were having sex, now. A PTSD of getting too freaky when people were in earshot. Thanks to some blond fuckhead. Now, listening to her friends openly speculate about that very thing which she was so desperately trying to avoid-

Well, it made him smirk.

"You can come in!" Hinata finally found her voice, cracking and a little shaky.

Not even a half a second later, it slammed open.

Tenten and Lee were the new bane of Sasuke's existence. Just as soon as he was becoming roommate free, it felt like he was getting two more. Like a hydra, but shittier. More millennial. Less Greek hero.

'Maybe Hinata would want to go out for Greek food?' It didn't seem likely that there would be any in her area, at least any good, but that was probably for the better. He could drag her back to his neighborhood and just casually suggest staying there instead.

It was actually a perfect plan.

"Hey Hinata," Tenten smiled. "Sasuke." She addressed, off handedly.

A brief dismissal. Just scraping the barrel of the socially mandated greeting. He knew, that's almost the only way he addressed other people as well.

"We're going to the gym, we didn't know if you guys wanted to come." Tenten asked, again looking at Hinata, before her eyes twitched to Sasuke, for a millisecond and went back to acting like he wasn't in the room.

Sasuke couldn't really blame her. He had majorly fucked up with the Hinata situation that had left Hinata crying in her room for days. Tenten wouldn't even be a good friend if she didn't put up this kind of front. He understood, to some underlying degree.

There was one of them that was not giving him the cold shoulder.

"Yeah Sasuke, I have an outfit that you could borrow if you want." Lee asked, smiling too brightly for a comfortable conversation.

Sasuke tried not to snort, knowing that it would be an asshole move, first off. He couldn't really handle having Hinata's friends hate him anymore than they already did. But thinking about putting anything on his body that had any sort of resemblance to the green spandex suit that Lee was sporting was snort-inducing.

"Thanks guys, but I think we're just going to stay in and finish up our work." Hinata saved him, answering sweetly.

Sasuke had still never sat back up on the bed.

Tenten shrugged her shoulder. "Alright, well… your room is looking… clean."

Lee nodded, so enthusiastically his hair shook with him. "Yeah, guys, it looks great. So youthful."

Hinata smiled over at Sasuke and he looked back up to her popcorn ceiling. Of course, Hinata would have asbestos in her apartment.

He held in a sigh.

Yes, Sasuke had been spending his time in Hinata's apartment, cleaning. He wouldn't touch their kitchen/living room with a ten-foot pole. He had considered it initially, it was a goddamn travesty in his opinion. But on further inspection, there really was no place to put everything that they had accumulated on their countertops. There was barely even an inch of countertop in the damn first place. Sasuke was also shocked that their few cabinets and drawers weren't infested with roaches and even useable. So he had conceded on that part of the apartment.

The rest of the hole in the wall was not so lucky.

He first tackled the bathroom.

It had taken him more than an hour and two canisters of Clorox wipes. Tenten had stared at him like he was insane, and Hinata had to casually whisper to her that Sasuke may or may not have some form of mild OCD.

'Or STANDARDS. Fucking heathens.'

After that, and viciously sweeping and having to go out and BUY HINATA A SWIFFER and clean their floors, after alllllll of that, he finally started on her bedroom.

He began at her desk. Organizing it solely out of necessity. They had to share it, after all. But then he just spread out, further and further into her bedroom. He had reorganized her entire closet, or perhaps just 'organized' it. There was no such evidence showing that it had ever had an organizational system in the first place. He had even cleaned out under her bed. Every inch of Hinata bedroom had been combed through.

In two short days, her room was as clean and well organized as his own house.

One that he sincerely missed.

But, Hinata had not step a single foot back towards his house since Naruto opened his fat fucking mouth.

"Isn't Sasuke the greatest?" Hinata smiled, asking un-ironically, beaming over at him with her sweet little smile.

Sasuke pretended that his heart didn't twist at the sight of it.

"One-hundred percent!" Lee yelled, much too loudly for the size of the space.

Tenten's eyebrows raised a millimeter in response to what was sure an eardrum bursting level of sound. "Well, alright then."

"Maybe next time." Hinata waved to her roommates as they shut the door.

'Fuck that,' Sasuke scoffed. Though it did remind him that he hadn't been jogging at all in the mornings, unable to bring himself to do so in Hinata's neighborhood. That did not mean that he would ever entertain the idea of working out with Lee and his eyebrows.

It was just another reminder that he needed to get his girlfriend back to his own damn apartment. ASAP.

"How do you feel about Greek food?" Sasuke asked, still laying back on her bed.

It was uncomfortable and fucking up his back. Just another thing on a long list to miss about his place.

Hinata stood up from the desk, and he was hoping that it meant Hinata was done with the glue gun. But soon thoughts of the much coveted, single office chair was out of his mind when Hinata straddled him.

This, though, was much better.

His hands came up to her hips, wanting to grab her ass but not wanting to interrupt her if she was going to say something. She had changed her clothes after she got home, instead of trousers and a sweater, she donned a pair of leggings and her comfy Konoha University sweatshirt.

The one she had worn the first time she had come to his house. It was weird nostalgia. Knowing that he had been seeing her for that long. Except, not that long at all. November. He had been seeing her for only four months. Four months, in the grand scheme of his life, was not long at all. Relatively short in fact.

Was that long enough to feel the way he felt about her? To act the way he did with her. The presents, the time they spent together. Did he even know the things he needed to know about her? He was still findinding out new things about her.

Like, that she changed her clothes when she got home.

He had immediately cataloged that information, noting that Hinata would need to bring more of those clothes to his house, so she could be more relaxed after work when she got there.

If she ever went back to house.

His back really needed her to.

"I love Greek food." She smiled, leaning down to kiss him.

Four months or four hundred months, that didn't have anything to do with him and Hinata. He had spent years with a certain someone and never even felt a sliver of what he did now. Not only did he feel an absurdly deep emotional connection with Hinata, but their sex life was pretty off the charts as well, at least in his experience. He had had one night stands with models, real and instagram-esqe, and none of them even held a candle to what he had now.

Their makeout was getting heavier, and he was sure that they were well on their way to making her room full of squeak noises. But she pulled up unexpectedly, sitting back up on his hips. Her cheeks were a little more blushed than usual, and she was biting her bottom lip nervously.

"What?" Sasuke grumbled. Not annoyed that he wasn't getting any. But he always got a little irritated when Hinata hesitated to ask him things. He was her boyfriend, he wanted her to just tell him the shit.

"I was wondering if you would do something for me?" She asked, drawing it out, mumbling nervously.

He rolled his eyes. Her cute, shy routine was kind of sexy, but it was pretty useless. He knew that he would probably concede to doing whatever she asked him to. Or he would feel guilty after saying no, and then end up doing it anyways. He knew that. She also should've known that.

"Hanabi wants you to come to dinner. For her birthday."

Fuck. No. Sasuke did not expect that to be the request. Spending any amount of time with Hinata's dad was the very last thing he wanted to do. The very last. Fall into a pit of snakes, live through his adolescence again, spend personal time with his boss, all of those things he would rather do than spend even a second with Hiashi Hyuga.

"Please?" She asked again, probably sensing that he wasn't too stoked about that idea. Or just seeing the look of purse disgust on his face. "Hanabi really wants you to come. Apparently Udon doesn't want to either, and she thinks it'll be easier for him if you're there too."

Now he was being compared to Udon? That little man baby, with the sniffles. Fuck. That.

Sasuke sighed, grinding his teeth together.

Hinata would be disappointed if he said no. He knew she would be. She wasn't like other girls, asking him to do shallow things that didn't mean anything. Hinata didn't waste time, and didn't just ask him to do things because she could. In fact, she hated feeling like she was bothering him. He knew that, he could see it every time she refrained, held back. He didn't want her to do that. He wanted her to be comfortable with him. To be able to count on him.

He wanted her to want him. Need him.

He couldn't brush this off.

...He really fucking wanted to, though.

"I'm sorry, I know that my dad is kind of-"

"I'll go." He cut her off, immediately.

There was no way he was letting her think that her dad could get to him. No way, no how. He was never going to seem less than Hiashi Hyuga, ever.

"Really?" She asked, her eyes lighting up.

Her eyes were something that he had never seen before he met her. They were so unique, and beautiful. And now they were all glittery and happy, staring at him. It almost made it worth it.

Almost.

But he was a lawyer. It was kind of his job to milk situations for all they were worth.

"You know, my place is closer to your dad's."

Hinata glared at him, or as much as someone like her could glare. With a little crease between her eyebrows and her lips pursed. "Her birthday dinner is not until next month."

She moved to get off him but his fingers dug in lightly to her hips, feeling the soft cotton of her leggins against the squish of her skin. She didn't have prominent bones, she was too cozy for that.

He stared up at her for a long moment again. It was strange, he thought. That time truly hadn't made a difference to him, in some stupid cliche way. It really hadn't. He could look into Hinata's eyes and just love her, a simple as that. He didn't need years of history to do it either. He just did.

"What?" She leaned back, her blush getting worse by the second.

Split between tearing her Konoha University sweatshirt right off her body and having her there that second, and playing a game that was a little longer, but would ultimately yield him a more satisfying result.

"I'm hungry."

Which is how Sasuke found himself, happily, in his buildings elevator.

"Your food smells like a cinnamon roll." Sasuke was trying to tease her, but he couldn't get his smirk right.

His smile was taking over in light of his victory.

"Moussaka has cinnamon in it." Hinata defended lightly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You got a salad." Hinata shot back like it was an insult.

He did get a Greek salad, extra tomatoes. It was going to be delicious. "I haven't been jogging."

Hinata glanced back at him, appraising his stature. He remembered the last time they had discussed his work out regime, and her lack there of, how she had almost abandoned her french fries. Her eyes ran over his body, his rumpled suite, scrunched from working all day and then trying to work from her bed, and up to his face. Sasuke was a pretty self absorbed man, he knew that he was rather on the good looking side of things. His face was chiseled, and though he was thinner than he'd like to be, he was pretty confident.

Hinata also seemed to notice this.

Her face paled and she turned back to herself, chewing on her bottom lip. "Maybe I should jog." She whispered more to herself.

Sasuke frowned, thinking of a way to derail her train of thought. "You didn't bring any running shoes."

She peaked over at him. "Didn't I? I thought I packed my whole closet."

They both glanced down to the rather large bag Sasuke was carrying.

He scoffed. "With as many old lady shoes as you have, this doesn't even scratch the surface."

Hinata giggled. "Don't make fun of my clogs. I have to stand all day and they're comfy."

He thought her clogs were actually kind of cute. Not to mention her little collection and affection for them created a relatively easy opening for him to buy her some uncreative birthday presents in the future. The new Danskos and Santinas were probably enough for her. Not that he needed to find a reason to shower her in too luxurious of a gift, as proven by her ever present earrings peakings, the diamonds every now and then playing a sparkle-peekaboo through her thick black framing bangs.

"I find it incredibly fishy that I somehow have all of the things I would need packed for work tomorrow." Hinata smiled.

"Hn." Sasuke glanced away.

"And that we somehow passed every single Greek restaurant to get to one a couple blocks from your apartment."

"That is a mystery."

"That you just drove us here after and now we're going back to your apartment."

The elevator 'bing'ed quietly before opening the doors to his floor.

"Life is truly a marvel, isn't it." His voice was a dry as old crackers, his face blank and impassive, waiting for Hinata to get off the lift first.

Black met white in a quiet stare off, before Hinata's nose wrinkled adorably, giggling before heading down his hallway.

Naruto was thankfully nowhere to be found, either at work or at Ino's, whose apartment he was currently moving into.

Which meant that Sasuke could have just a quiet dinner with his girlfriend, which he was more than happy to do. In his clean house, in his clean kitchen, at an actual table. He tried to hide a sigh of relief in a side hug, pressing his nose into her hair.

She smiled, happily eating her food.

"How's your salad." She asked sweetly.

"It's a salad."

She rolled her eyes with a sweet smile. "Well, my food is delicious."

"It smells like Christmas."

"I love Christmas."

Their banter was playful enough until it turned much less playful and tad more sexual. Until they were heavily making out at his kitchen table, her mouth tasted like cinnamon and nutmeg and he really couldn't handle her being in that sweatshirt anymore.

Sasuke now has a new found appreciation for his own place. For one thing, he wasn't afraid of roaches or bugs by abandoning their leftover food on his table, at least for the time being.

He also wasn't worried about his floor, knowing that his carpet was meticulously combed through and vacuumed. So letting her unbutton his shirt, and slide it down his arms, letting drop to the floor didn't phase him. Letting off his clothes land haphazardly in the room didn't bother him.

The comparative silence of his mattress also appreciated. Comfort level aside, the quiet left room for something so much better. Little gasps, soft moans, the breath catching in Hinata's throat.

Her fingers snagged themselves at the base of his neck, the room getting too hot, too humid. He couldn't care less.

He was also happy to have a bedframe back, along with a headboard. One that he could grab, getting a ridiculous amount of leverage.

There was also currently no roommates to be found.

Hinata has no issue moaning his name now.

"Sasuke." She gasped, pressing his face closer to hers.

He kissed her, hard, feeling her moan into his mouth.

Yes, Sasuke's apartment was much better.

He hadn't finished some of his work for the next day yet, Hinata had already fallen asleep, tucked in his turtleneck sweater and socks. He didn't want to bother her with his lamp light, so he went out to the kitchen.

Which is how he encountered Naruto a little after midnight.

"Oh shit you scared me." Naruto jumped, walking into the kitchen.

"This is my house." Sasuke muttered dryly, not looking up from his folders.

Naruto dropped down onto one of the chairs, like it was his fucking house, making Sasuke's teeth ground together.

"Well it's not like you've been in it." Naruto defended.

"That's because you pissed my girlfriend off so much she wouldn't step foot in it."

"Did I really make her that mad?"

No, more like mortified. "Furious."

"Is that why your kicking me out?" Naruto snorted.

"Indubitably." Sasuke promised.

"And you keeping the PS4." He lamented.

"I am the one who bought it."

"This sucks." Naruto frowned. "How am I supposed to kick your ass at Call of Duty."

Sasuke's eyes rolled briefly. "I'm Ino will throw your ass out enough-"

"I knew I could fall back on you, best buddy." Naruto reached across and punched him in the bicep.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, lamenting the time that he could kick the ever loving shit out of Naruto. Now he could only relish in the not so distant future of having the fucking idiot of out his own apartment.

He could handle him in small doses. Barely.

Long term? Not so much.

Sasuke gathered his portfolios and case files, piling them into his arms, pushing back from his table with a loud squeak.

"Hey," Naruto hummed, sniffing in the to aroma of their take out boxes that Sasuke had yet to throw away. "Did you get your girlfriend some cinnamon rolls again."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes for a moment. "Hn." He finally nodded.

"Can I have some?" Naruto asked, almost salivating.

"Sure," Sasuke shrugged. "Make sure you clean up after." He added, just to make the lie more believable.

He turned to head down the hallway, but paused so he could hear in the glorious mayhem that would be Naruto, looking for cinnamon rolls and finding leftover eggplant and potatoes.

"What the fuck-?" He could hear, in quiet bewilderment from the kitchen.


	25. Oh No He Fucking Didn't

Straw Saga 25

"What does your sister even like?" Sasuke asked, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

He wasn't asking out if his own interest of Hinata's younger sister, but of his own interest in getting out of the mall as fast possible.

"Um," Hinata hummed, looking through a random rack in front of her. "I'm not sure. A lot of stuff."

"You're not sure." He drew the syllables out. It was a constant fight of nature, to be kind when he was annoyed.

His hands were crushed down, deep in his pea-coat, his lapels pushed up to shield himself from the passing, leering women. He didn't appreciate the crowds, or the pathetic looks of the other down trodden males, drug here by a significant other, trying to find solidarity in group suffering. Sasuke glared at them too. Because, fuck them.

"You didn't have to come." Hinata reminded him, gently and without malice.

Sasuke bristled.

What a trap woman set. No, it was much better shouldering on. Suffering. Scuffling his wing tips on the dirty tiles, made grimy by the soles of his predecessors. The miserable men that had come before.

Yes, it was dirty. It smelled like soft pretzels. There was an unequal ratio between regular shops and smoothie stands. But he was not here for pretzels or smoothies.

He was here on a mission.

"I told you I was coming. So I came." He grumbled, stiffly.

Hinata paused, and naturally their pace slowed. Her eyes softened as she smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Sasuke's heart most definitely did not start beating faster. Nor did his throat feel hot and harder to swallow. There were definitely not any clichés of embarrassment happening to him at that very moment. He definitely wasn't wanting to kiss her all over her stupidly cute face. Nope. Definitely not him.

He cleared his throat and turned away from her. "Well, I don't have all day."

She slipped her hand through his elbow, handing onto the crook of his arm.

It was mind numbingly boring. Hinata did not have a plan for what exactly to get her little sister, which was becoming increasingly more irritating as the time passed.

"How do you not know what to get her?" He huffed.

After they had only browsed the second store.

Hinata slid a perturbed look at him, unable to muster a glare. "Do you know what you would get your brother?" She asked.

"Of course." He scoffed.

That was easy.

He wouldn't get him anything.

"Well, Hanabi is a person that already has everything. And I don't want to get her just anything. I want it to be thoughtful. Special. I just, don't know what that is yet."

Sasuke sighed. That was a very Hinata thing to say.

They walked around for another hour before Hinata spotted an floral shop. "Oh, look at that." Hinata smiled.

There were sculpted pieces, out of flowers. Hearts, teddy bears, other cutesy things.

"Isn't that adorable." Hinata smiled.

This is where Sasuke thought the true differences were in between the chromosomes. Because all he saw was overpriced bullshit.

Hinata gushed. "This is perfect! Hanabi would love this. It's so unique."

Sasuke shrugged a shoulder, exasperatedly. "Alright. Go in."

"What are you going to do?" She asked, letting him go.

"Don't worry about it." He stepped away from her. "I'll meet you back right here." He promised.

He had spotted a little shop, that he was familiar with. So far, Sasuke had gifted Hinata with earrings, for her birthday/Christmas and asking her to be his girlfriend. He had got her a matching bracelet for Valentine's Day. There was something else that he was thinking of now.

How annoyed he was, every time she had to go back to her apartment. How disgusting he thought her apartment was in the damn first place. Now that Naruto was gone, he thought that it was high time that he got a roommate that he actually wanted to have around.

He thought that popping that particular question needed something a little more special to sweeten the deal.

Sasuke finished up his shopping quicker, since he had known what he was coming for, unlike some woman he knew that would remain nameless.

Said woman, was not quite finished yet, but he didn't mind. He shoved his gift into his pocket, since he wasn't planning on asking her just yet.

When she did finally head out of the shop, she was all smiles.

"Done yet, are you?" He nudged her.

"Yes. Thank you so much." She grabbed onto his arm again.

He led the way out. "Yeah, yeah."

He always had to keep himself from smiling, when she insisted on thanking him for things. So, he either forced himself to scowl or smirk

"Thank you so much for coming with me," Hinata fiddled with the buttons in the elevator. "Again."

"I told you it wasn't a big deal." Sasuke grumbled, messing with his suit coat.

He wasn't having much of a hard time not smiling, this time.

He had been neurotically fidgeting since they had left his apartment. Not because he was nervous or anything. Not because Hinata's dad was one of the biggest assholes he had ever had to go head to head with. Not because he would rather run back into the street and get flap-jacked by oncoming traffic than actually head up to dinner.

It had been a couple days since they had gone to the mall, and now it was time to sit through dinner with Hinata's family.

He was wearing a suit from work, wishing that he had come home early to change, but not willing to waste the time. Work was still his second priority,

His number one, hanging onto his arm, also dressed from work. She still looked pretty in loosely curled hair, hung long around her shoulders, a light pink sweater, nice, tailored jeans and her signature clogs. 

If he wasn't so stressed he would've complimented her.

Natsu answered the door, looking just as impeccable as the last time Sasuke had seen her. Her blonde bob perfectly smooth and platinum. She was wearing a tight green dress, befitting a trophy wife. But instead of the smile that usually greeted them, she looked a thousand different shades of stressed.

"Hinata," Natsu spoked cautiously. "I tried to tell him not to. But, you know how your dad is."

"What?" Hinata asked startled.

Natsu frowned, but was quickly and literally knocked aside.

"Hinata." Hanabi, looked far better than the last time Sasuke had saw her in a hospital bed. "Hinata, forget what I said. You have to leave."

"What is going on?" Hinata stepped closer to Sasuke.

"Oh, is Hinata here?"

Sasuke's jaw clenched involuntarily.

Hanabi grimaced, her eyes flittering from Sasuke to Hinata. She mouthed 'I'm sorry' before stepping back from the door.

Her dad, short, still dressed in a suit, was glaring inside his perfectly decorated, oversized apartment.

Sasuke's stomach churned in equal parts dislike and extreme jealously.

They made their way back to the dining room, Sasuke categorizing all the parts of the Hyuga house that he could possibly recreate in his own apartment. Hinata looked much more concerned, her hand on Sasuke's, her other vaguely out in front of her like she was going to have to defend the both of them at any moment.

He himself didn't hold much stake in how weird her sister was. She was always spouting off something peculiar, or causing a traffic accident with public indecency.

He really fucking should have.

As the entirety of Hinata's family arrived into the dining room, Sasuke included, Hinata stalled. Sitting closest to them was Udon, looking as snooty nose, sweaty and pathetic as ever. How Hinata and Hanabi had ever thought Sasuke could come and deflect off of that pathetic noodle was beyond him.

But there was another person too. Someone that Sasuke didn't immediately recognize. Which he would never want to admit. He thought of himself as a relatively intelligent person. Smart enough in most aspects.

But he didn't fully recognize the man until after he had spoken.

He stood slowly, coming to a height that must've been even taller than Sasuke. His hair was almost white, his eyes husky blue. He smiled. "Hinata."

The man.

Sasuke stopped.

The man. Was the same man in the photos online? That he had googled. Of Hinata's ex-boyfriend. Billionaire, CEO, from Kumo.

Toneri Otsutsuki.

…He was in her father's house. At the dinner table.

Sasuke was annoyed. Mad even. That Hinata's dad would drudge up her ex-boyfriend and put them all in an awkward situation, ruining Hanabi's birthday.

Okay, he really didn't care that much about everyone else.

He was mostly pissed for himself.

Obviously.

It didn't hold a candle to Hinata.

He had almost forgot that she was even there, until her hand, clenched down on his wrist like police zip ties. He almost protested, audibly, until the swear died in his throat.

He had never seen Hinata that mad.

Which was really saying something because Hinata had once woken in the middle of the night to Sasuke arguing with his drunk ex-girlfriend about the validity of her abortion, that he had kept from her.

He had, rightful, assumed that was the peak, the apex, of the anger that Hinata had in her.

He was dead wrong.

She was awash in pure, unadulterated fury.

Sasuke's shoulders relaxed a little, as one would do when someone had come to the rescue. He had less to worry about with his own, personal, rage army ready to attack for him. The only thing he had to worry about is if his hand would still have viable tissue after this dinner was over.

She actually looked… kind of hot.

Her jaw was clenched, her eyes were narrowed.

"What's going on?" Her voice had turned icy.

Sasuke bit his lip.

Yeah, it was definitely hot.

He loved how nice Hinata was, how sweet and thoughtful. That is what he had first noticed about her. When he had been a complete piece of shit and sassed her for the straw and she had just decided to be a nice person and get it for him.

He did love that about her.

But this… this side of Hinata. He could equally appreciate.

Especially when it wasn't directed at him.

"Well, Toneri was in town, and I just thought, why not-"

"Daddy," Hinata cut him off.

Sasuke bit his bottom lip, trying not to make a face, since she was talking to her ACTUAL father.

"This is so disrespectful. To not only myself, but Sasuke."

Sasuke looked over at her, her eyes narrowed through her bangs fiercely. Fuck, she was so hot.

"I'm sorry, Hanabi. But…" Hinata swallowed, and ultimately nodded her head in resolution. "Sasuke and I will be leaving. Perhaps we can do something else for your birthday."

Hanabi nodded, looking to completely understand her sister's feelings.

Hinata then turned on the heels of her clogs and marched back the way that they had come from, dragging Sasuke along with her.

They didn't speak the entire way home. Hinata sat in the passenger side of his car, arms folded over each other, fuming in foreboding silence.

It was a lot less sexy when he was the only victim around.

Luckily for him, she never lashed out. She just plopped herself down on the couch, arms folded with a deep frown.

Sasuke sat next to her, not knowing what the boyfriend etiquette was, he was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to turn on the TV. So instead, in lieu of doing something to make her more upset, he did nothing.

Until he got bored.

"You're pouting."

Hinata looked away. "I am not."

Sasuke smirked. "Are you still mad?" 

"Yes." She finally snapped exasperatedly. "And I'm embarrassed." Tears well in her gorgeous eyes. "Sasuke, I'm so sorry."

He actually felt a twinge. "It's alright." He hugged, awkwardly patting her on the back.

"It's not. My dad – It was so rude!" She lamented. "And disrespectful. And embarrassing." She sniffed.

"Everyone's family is embarrassing." Sasuke promised.

"I bet yours is fine." She pouted.

"No, no they're ridiculous." He promised. "A complete shit show."

"Really?"

"Oh, hell yeah. The worst."

She smiled, looking a tad bit better than before. Sasuke sighed internally, glad to have fixed it.

"When am I going to meet them?"

…Fuck.


	26. Sasuke couldn't plan to save his life

Straw Saga 26

"Are you sure I look alright?" Hinata leaned onto the counter, brushing her fingers through her hair.

Sasuke would've rolled his if it weren't for the mirror. She could still see his face angled away from him.

You look fine." He huffed.

She took the time to do her hair and makeup but they still needed to make the drive to get there.

"And, who's all going to be there?" She asked, biting her bottom lip.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a second. "It's just my parent's house. My brother lives close, but he has his own house. It's not a big thing. It's just the weekend, nothing crazy. Well be back Sunday night."

The only thing annoying him was that Hinata had monopolized all the worry. He was the one that wanted to be stressfully envisioning every way his mother and father could try to embarrass him or sabotage him and how he could successfully counter them. Now, he was having to soothe Hinata, and they weren't even in the car to get there yet.

"Are you ready?" He asked her.

She looked at herself one more time in the mirror, sliding her hands over her stomach. Sasuke couldn't stop the eyeroll this time. He was not going to entertain a single other conversation of 'I think I need to go on a diet'. He turned the light switch off and left her alone in the darkness.

"Hey," She protested quietly, but followed him out nonetheless.

Their bag was prepacked and waiting for them at the door. Their stuff, packed together, which Sasuke refused to feel warm and fuzzy about. One bag. With both of their stuff. Like a real couple. Nothing cute and meaningful about that. What guy would put some girly sentiments on just packing one bag? Not him.

"I'll grab our bag." He announced, totally normally and there definitely wasn't any sort of emphasis on 'ours'.

"Sasuke, are you sure-"

"Hinata," Sasuke turned around, fixing her with an apathetic glare.

Her cheeks bloomed in a little blush as her lips pouted out. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous."

He smirked, just little quirk of the lip. "Don't be. My mom is going to gush all over you, and my dad is going to sit at the table and read the newspaper. That's it. That's all that going to happen. So can we hurry up and get over this weekend so we can come back here?"

Here. Soon to be their apartment. If everything went according to plan. He had his present tucked away in the pocket of his jacket, unwilling to leave in a lone in his house at the mercy of some possible burglary. It was more than at home with another piece of sentimental plastic that he would never admit to anyone in the entire world that he kept with him in his coat. Not even to the woman that had given it to him.

After this weekend, he would ask Hinata to move in with him.

Which was also another reason that he should be able to be the nervous one at the moment.

But he had to keep his cool. He couldn't let her find out until the right time. It had to be perfect. And before driving to his parents house was definitely not that time.

"Okay." She tried to smile off her worries. She slid her ugly blue jacket on and zipped it up. "Oh, can I leave my keys here? I don't want to accidentally misplace them at your parents house." She laughed a little. "That would be the worst."

Though Sasuke could only imagine the inconvenience of having to drive hours back to his mom and dads after getting home Sunday night, completely burnt out of their presence, he did have a smug inner smirk. An inside joke with himself. Because, she wouldn't be needing those keys for long if he had any say in anything.

"Here," Saskue held out his hand for her keys. He walked back a couple steps and plopped them down on the kitchen table.

She'd probably spend the night Sunday night anyways. She was spending most nights there. But at least this way, there was no chance of getting them lost in the meantime.

She waited next to him as he locked up the door, then laced their fingers together as they walked out to the car park.

"How long is the drive?" Hinata asked, waiting for him to load up the bag in the truck.

"Just a couple hours. You can take a nap if you want."

She scoffed. "I'm not going to take a nap. That's rude to you."

An hour in on the turnpike, he took a little glance at her cute, sleeping cheeks crushed against the glass. One of her ears were poking out of her face framing bangs as well, making the whole looking even more cute. Her hand went limp in his long before, but he rubbed it anyways.

He wouldn't be taking Hinata to this clusterfuck of a weekend if he wasn't a hundred percent sure. If he wasn't completely sold. She was the one. He knew, even before he had admitted it to Naruto. He loved everything about her. Even things that should've annoyed him. So he had to do this. Had to introduce her to them. It was going to happen anyways, and she had asked.

He was nervous though, now that she had freed up the room. He could fully experience how much fucking nerves this weekend was causing him. He needed it to go well. He needed his parents to like Hinata, and he needed Hinata to still want to be with him when this was all over. If he was going to be planning the rest of his life with Hinata, then he at least needed to be able to have a tolerable weekend with her and his family.

He'd driven the road home many times since the years that he had come to the city. Sure, he could've flown, taking the three hour drive into a twenty minute flight. When he was younger, it was just to save money, but as he got older, it was because of how much he loved his car. Driving it, when he didn't have something to worry about, was actually pretty monotonous and relaxing. Usually he could sit back, relax, listen to music, appreciate his car, decompress from the stressful holiday that he had probably spent with his family.

Maybe… maybe he'd have a lot more drive with Hinata. Maybe they'd spend their holidays together. With his big family or with her psycho dad. Or maybe they told both their families to fuck off and they could just spend it together?

He looked over at her again.

Yeah, this weekend really needed to go well.

He woke her up a couple minutes before he pulled into his parent's house. He thought she'd want the couple minutes to prepare herself before entering into the lion's den.

"Thank you." She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, yawning.

She stopped, leaning forward for a moment, turning to look out the window.

"What?" He asked, turning to look at what she saw.

"You… grew up here?" She asked, softly.

"Yeah?" He squinted out the window, and glanced around. The town was pretty small, quiet. A couple shops and grocery stores. Gas stations and churches. Nothing too special, which is why Sasuke left it.

He had always preferred the city. Always knew that he would be there. His job. His apartment. What he had worked for, the success he had made for himself. There was just something about the city, the lights. He could eat somewhere knew for every meal and never run out of restaurants. He could go to any bar, any club and meet have a good night. Well, before Hinata. But even still, there was an endless amount of dates that he could plan with her. And endless amount of food they could order in.

It was much better than this shitty old place.

"It's so cute." She smiled.

He shrugged, dismissively. If she thought it was cute he wasn't going to dispute her.

"Was that your school?" She asked, pointed to the sign of the high school.

"Hn." He hummed, trying not to think about the girlfriend he had while he had attended.

"No way?"

"It's just a normal high school."

Her lip dipped out a little. "My school wasn't like that."

Oh yeah, hadn't she gone to some private all girls bullshit?

"Did you play sports and stuff like that?" She asked.

"Mmhmm." He reached out his hand to her, palm up. She laid her palm in his, lacing their fingers. He pulled her closer to him, resting them on his thigh.

Well, this was going okay. If she liked the town then maybe she would feel more comfortable at his parents.

Speaking of his parents house.

Sasuke slowed down to a stop at the bottom of the hill, at the beginning of his parents neighborhood.

"What's wrong?" She asked, glancing around quickly.

"Nothing. There should be a stop sign here." He noted, looking over to a little cone that stood in its place.

"Huh?"

Sasuke smirked a little, finally realizing what was going on. "It was a thing, that seniors did in high school. This neighborhood is the biggest one in town. Where most of the kids live."

"They break down the stop sign?" She gasped.

Probably thinking of her own perfect little students. Surely her little angels would never!

"It's a senior prank." He shrugged.

"Did your class do that?" She asked quickly.

Thinking back to the football team and him and Naruto physically kicking the metal pole down. "I don't seem to recall." Sasuke licked his lips.

Hinata pursed her, narrowing on him. "Lawyer." She whispered, almost accusingly.

"Guilty." He looked both ways down the street, making sure that nobody was coming.

"So this was your neighborhood?" She seemed to forgive him of his chosen profession rather quickly, which was fine with him.

He nodded. He had the whole weekend to show her around. If she was interested in where he grew up in, now was the perfect time to go over it.

"Which house is yours?"

"My parents," He corrected, as he turned into the driveway.

She let go of his hand to lean on her door, looking out the window. He cut the engine, and leaned back into his seat. "Are you ready?"

"I guess." Her voice was quiet, she didn't look away from the front of the house.

"Come on, Hina. It's just my parents. We'll probably just have a quiet dinner and then we'll go to bed. You don't have to worry about anybody else until tomorrow."

He watched her fingers twist in her lap.

"Baby, I promise. You're overthinking it." He reached over to free her fingers, squeezing them in his. He caught the shine of her bracelet under her jacket sleeve.

She nodded, turning to give him a brave smile. She could do dinner with his parents. He had done worse with hers.

He got out of the car and made his way to the back, getting their bag. She waited next to her door for her, which was fine. He grabbed her hand again, walking with her up his porch. He decided to ring the doorbell instead of just walk in, so that it would be more comfortable for Hinata.

The door opened, seemingly by no one, until Sasuke dropped his line of sight down a couple feet. Madara and Izuna stood side by side, both with the typical, male Uchiha stone face, staring Hinata down.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. This was not good. "Son of a-"

"Mom! Grandma! Sasuke's girlfriend is here!" Madara yelled out.

He could hear the squealing of excited women in the background, plates and glasses clinking as they made their way over to the door.

Hinata turned to look at him curiously. He shook his head, shrugging a little, more at the universe that was constantly dumping on him than his poor girlfriend.

"You must be Hinata!" Mikoto Uchiha came into view, scooting her grandsons out of the way before completely embracing Hinata in a massive bear hug. One where you moved from side to side for no fucking reason. "It's so nice to meet you!"

Izumi came into view with one of his nephews on his hip. He looked past her to see if he could spot any more unwanted surprises. Itachi, some nephews, Shisui, Obito… Kakashi Hatake?

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Sasuke asked god, literally.

"Language, Sasuke." He could hear his dad from the sitting room.

He pinched his nose so hard he couldn't smell his impending doom. He was going to need to figure out a way to apologize to Hinata and make sure she wasn't emotionally scarred about this dinner. And he also needed to make sure that he didn't have any conversation with his ex's possible baby daddy, especially since he was also a possible candidate.

"Come in, come in." His mom shuffled Hinata forward into the house.

He watched her glance back at him with wide eyes screaming for help.

He shrugged in reply. He was just going along with this hell ride, same as her.


End file.
